Kingdom Hearts: Re-sketch
by Tempura the Night Fury
Summary: Hikaru comes from a world of forgotten legends and ancient gods, but when the Heartless attack, her world falls apart—literally. Torn from her family, she joins Sora and the others on his quest to find his missing friends in hopes of finding her own… But fate has a funny way of working, and Hikaru may soon discover that some family secrets are better left in the dark. KH1.
1. Hart's Haven

3/3/19: Hello everyone, Tempura here with my most ambitious story yet. This is the long-awaited rewrite of Re-sketch that I've been struggling with for many, many months now. With the release of Kingdom Hearts III, I've decided that it was the perfect time to kick things in gear. 4/4/19 edit: cut a scene that was pretty superfluous. Nothing major. 5/23/19 edit: did some overall polishing.

As with the previous edition, this is one of those "OC in KH1" stories. I think I've done things to make it unique among stories of its type while keeping the spirit of Kingdom Hearts, and that the characters like Hikaru come off as solid and complete characters rather than "Mary Sues." This chapter in particular is an introductory one, featuring an original world before we get into the thick of things.

Thank you, and enjoy.

* * *

The sky lit up and began to fall as hundreds upon hundreds of shooting stars crossed the night. It was a meteor shower unlike anything that tiny town nestled in the snowy valleys had ever seen.

Two friends standing at the top of the ridge watched one star hurtle through the aurora. A concussive _boom_ echoed through the thin air as the earth shuddered and knocked them off their feet. The star had fallen just beyond the ridge.

"Let's have a look," one of the boys said.

They rushed out into the wilds beyond the valley towards the crater with reckless abandon, unconcerned for their safety, powered by adrenaline and excitement and adventure and maybe one too many drinks. The dangers of the wilderness—stories of wolves and fairies and ancient gods—fell away forgotten. They were thinking of the story they would tell the town, that they had found a shooting star.

They came upon the edge of the crater, climbing over jagged earth, shielding their mouths and noses, waving away the smoke with their gloved hands. The taller one shined a light into the darkness, expecting rubble and maybe a hunk of space rock.

But it wasn't a star.

It was a person.

_22 years later…_

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 1: Hart's Haven

The airdocks were quiet that night. Only the low ticking of the station clock and the _plink-chick-scrrrrtch_ of the custodian scraping ice from the cobblestone walkway rang out above the silence. Few people milled around in the cold, but the ones who did huddled under heavy coats and thick winter sweaters just outside the arrival gate with rosy cheeks and cracked lips.

No one was waiting for Hikaru and her family when they stepped from the _Lindblum_. The other passengers descended down the ramp while the porters followed close with their luggage. Hikaru hesitated in the airship doorway, staring at the quaint little station and the golden glow of its windows. The sharp chill stinging at her cheeks, the echo of shoes against the metal and stone—the familiarity of it all began to sink in.

_Back here again_, she thought with a grimace, her grasp tightening on the handle of her suitcase.

Her brothers were already waiting at the bottom of the ramp. Akihiko stared out towards the towering evergreen trees beyond the dock, swinging his watch like a pendulum by its silver chain. Tatsuya sat on a suitcase next to him, his face buried in his tablet screen as he kicked his boots through the powdery snow.

"Hikaru."

"Yes, Mam?" She turned around. Her mother stood with her arms crossed, coat zipped, and red hair tangled up in the sort of disarray that only happened after a long flight of restless sleep in a cramped chair that had no recline.

"Grab this too." Her mother nodded towards the two duffle bags on the bench behind her. Akihiko's fencing gear. Hikaru pouted, but she took them without a word.

"Where's Uncle James?" she asked when she reached the bottom of the ramp, dropping her older brother's bags into the snow.

"Mam said he's working," Akihiko said. He tucked his hands into his jacket, a certain lazy slouch to his shoulders he maintained only when their mother wasn't looking. "Apparently he left his car in the lot, though."

Tatsuya aimed his tablet at the station to snap a picture. "Do you think we can stop at the sweets shop?"

"Sweets?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you have enough sugar on the flight, Tats?"

"Yeah," Akihiko said, rubbing his chin. "I'm pretty sure I remember someone eating the rest of my apple pie."

"It wasn't that good," Tatsuya said.

"Then why'd you eat it? Huh? You little shit." Akihiko gave him cuff up the back of the head, knocking his cap off. Tatsuya smacked his hand away, but Akihiko hooked one arm around Tatsuya's neck and ruffle up his dark hair with a vigorous shake. Tatsuya crossed his arms and scowled.

"Hikaru," he said loudly, trying in vain to kick their brother in the knee, "Aki's being an ass."

Hikaru held back a snort as she tried to hide the smile working its way across her face. "Aki, go easy on him before Mam—"

"Akihiko, Tatsuya," Mam snapped.

Akihiko promptly released Tatsuya from his chokehold. "Yes?" the two boys said, turning towards the airship.

Mam made her way down the metal ramp, the limp in her step hardly slowing her down despite her careful grip on the railing. "Behave yourselves," she said. "Not even ten minutes on the ground… I expect you _all_ to be on your best behavior."

"Yes, Mam," Hikaru and her brothers chorused.

"Good." Mam paused, her bright green eyes scanning the airdocks. "Where's your sister?"

"Um…" Hikaru looked towards Akihiko and earned a shrug in response.

They found Yui in the station coffee shop. She sat at the service bar, the lone patron of the empty café, half-slouched across the countertop with her heavy boots tapping restlessly against the floor and her headphones clamped tight over her ears. A moogle fluttered to her side with a mug of coffee.

"Yui," Mam said.

"Welcome, kupo," the moogle said, turning to greet them. Mam ignored him.

"Yui," she said again, louder this time. Mam and Akihiko stood in the doorway, while Tatsuya tiptoed as hard as he could to peer over their shoulders. Hikaru on the other hand lingered a few steps back, shuffling her feet and casting a nervous glance down the station hall.

_Maybe… Maybe I could just wait by the car_.

Yui hardly bothered to turn her head. A _ring-ting-ting_ filled the air as she stirred cream into her mug with a tiny metal spoon. If Hikaru hadn't known any better, she almost would've thought Yui hadn't heard them.

"What are you doing?" A scarcely concealed heat bubbled up under their mother's words. "We're taking the luggage to the car."

"It's cold," Yui said. She set her spoon on the counter and took a sip of coffee.

"Yui," Mam started as she stepped forward.

Hikaru hesitated, halfway to forming some sort of hopefully helpful word. But one look at her mother's expression, and Hikaru felt her words die before it could even be born.

It was Akihiko who spoke up to defuse the situation before Mam could say anything else. "Coffee sounds pretty good right now," he said casually, unraveling his scarf and stretching his arms. "You getting anything, Hikaru?"

"Uh… sure." Hikaru released a deep breath. _Good job, Aki_.

Mam didn't like the idea. The way she narrowed her eyes when she looked to Hikaru and Akihiko made Hikaru's stomach churn. But she just pressed her lips into a tight line. "Fine," she finally said. "Hurry up."

"I'm getting a hot chocolate," Tatsuya said cheerfully, going straight for the register. Mam followed, but stopped behind Yui for just a moment, yanking her headphones off of her head and letting them drop to the floor.

"Don't wander off again," she growled.

Yui said nothing, but Hikaru caught a glimpse of her sour expression when she turned her head to the side.

It was a breath of air when they departed from the coffee shop, even if it meant returning outside. Beyond the station's entrance stretched the wide snow-dusted lot. Transcendantale Airship Station was the only station on Polaris, and it stood at the southern end of the valley where Hart's Haven was nothing but a distant glow above the trees.

Hikaru hesitated by the doors, looking out to the lot as the rest of her family proceeded down the steps. She only counted three lonely cars—and one of them was Uncle James's familiar white truck. _He's at work, huh?_ she thought. Still, she couldn't but be a little disappointed.

"Load in," Mam said once she'd found the keys hidden away under the bottom of the car.

Akihiko jumped into the front passenger's seat before Hikaru could call shotgun, leaving her to grudgingly plop herself in the back row between Tatsuya and Yui. The smell of the interior hit her first—the almost comforting scent of the upholstery and old citrus air freshener that covered up the lingering trace of stale cigarette smoke. Second came the odd sense of spaciousness—Uncle James's truck was a hefty vehicle, and it had once been capable of holding Hikaru's whole family. But that was back when they would visit the town with their father, before…

_Don't_, Hikaru told herself, balling her hands into fists. _Don't think about it_.

No one spoke for a long time. Hikaru sat quietly between Yui and Tatsuya as the truck traveled over the dark and bumpy road. Yui shifted in her seat, moving closer to the window, her headphones clamped back over her ears, while Tatsuya kept his nose pressed to his tablet screen. Neither made for good conversation—and even if Hikaru wasn't really in the mood to talk either, the silence that pressed down over the truck felt like a weight on her chest. Hikaru's grasp tightened on her cup.

Akihiko glanced at her through the rearview mirror—just a glimpse of the knowing look in his hazel eyes. "Hey, why don't we drive up to Shiva's Saddle tomorrow?" he said, twisting around in his seat to face Hikaru. Tatsuya and Yui looked up too at his words. "It's been a while. We could meet up with Hope, see if he wants to come along, and then…"

Mam spoke before Hikaru could even answer. "If you want to go exploring, fine," she said, her eyes not once leaving the road, "but you'll save it for later. First thing tomorrow, we visit your father."

… _Right_. Hikaru lowered her gaze, and the car fell silent once again.

* * *

Hikaru didn't remember arriving at the house that night. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep, but a hazy memory floated to the surface, one of being unceremoniously hauled from the truck. When she finally came to, she was greeted by a soft white light gleaming against frosted glass.

She lay there for a few moments, curled up under an patchwork quilt on a familiar old futon. Her mouth felt dry, and her eyes sore and swollen. Someone had placed her jacket and scarf by her pillow, but she was still wearing the same turtleneck sweater and faded jeans. She sat up, letting loose a loud yawn before looking around.

It was her room. Well, no, that wasn't quite right. It was the room in Uncle James's house that she and Yui always shared, where the air was dusty and forgotten belongings left behind in their last visit still sat in moth-eaten paper bags by the closet door. Everything was exactly as she remembered, like a room isolated from the passing of time—but it still felt so strange. Things were different now. It was a fragile preservation of their visit during the summer, and to Hikaru, that time felt like it had been a lifetime ago.

She sighed, reaching into her pocket and flipping open her watch. It was already almost noon. They had just a few short hours left of daylight, and she was surprised that Mam hadn't woken them up yet—not that Hikaru was looking forward to what today had in store for them. Her sister was still asleep too. Yui occupied the bed on the opposite side of the room, lying under a faded star chart of the worlds that made up Ursa Minor. Already, she'd made the place her own, leaving clothes and bags and even her violin case open on the floor.

Hikaru grimaced. Even though she wasn't the neatest person, at least she had the decency to respect the invisible boundary between their sides of the room.

She didn't bother trying to wake her older sister. Hikaru moved with light steps, pushing open the door with the slowest, softest creak before peering out into the hallway to the bathroom and the room her brothers usually shared. Both doors were ajar, and the rooms quiet. Instead, she caught the faint murmur of voices in the kitchen downstairs.

Hikaru's eyes widened. _Uncle James_! Her footsteps thumped against the carpeted wood as she bolted down the stairs. In the living room, the television played black and white pictures for the empty chairs, and the fireplace had yet to be lit, leaving that corner of the house cold. The warmth came from the other direction beyond the kitchen door, accompanied by a delicious smell.

She pushed open the door just in time to catch the explosive laughter from her brothers sitting at the counter. Akihiko and Tatsuya, both wearing their wrinkled flannel pajamas from last Christmas, had their hands full with steaming bread rolls and sizzling breakfast meat skewered on forks, though Akihiko dropped his utensils as he buckled over in a coughing fit. Standing opposite of them was their Uncle James. He dropped a couple of sunny-side up eggs onto a massive platter as Hikaru peeked into the room. "Look who finally decided to join us," he said with a warm smile as Akihiko continued hacking away.

Tatsuya whapped Akihiko on the back a few times with a closed fist before turning around. "Morning Hikaru."

"G-good… Good timing," Akihiko managed to choke out between gasps and a few gulps of orange juice. "We were… just about to get you."

"Yeah, right." Hikaru stuck her tongue out at him. "I see you… hogging all the food to yourselves." She took up a seat next to Akihiko, earning herself a light shove in the head by her older brother. Hikaru shoved him back with a glare to hide her growing smile.

"Well, since you're here, help yourself," Uncle James said, waving his spatula at the spread set before them. Most of the meats had been cleared off the greasy plates, but the skillet-fried vegetables looked largely untouched. "There's plenty more coming. Yui still asleep?"

"Yeah. Didn't want to wake her."

"She'll get up eventually. Who can miss a meal like this?" Uncle James reached over to the carton next to the stove and grabbed a few more eggs. "How do you want your eggs, Hikaru? Scrambled?"

"Of course," she said, taking a scoop of hash browns from the platter. "Extra pepper and butter, please."

"Feeling fancy today, are you?" Uncle James laughed. He dropped a generous piece of butter over the heat and cracked the eggs right into the pan to scramble. "Just don't tell your mam—she'd kill me if she saw all this cholesterol."

"Just eat everything before she gets back," Tatsuya said, shoving an entire slice of bacon into his mouth.

Hikaru giggled. It had been months since they'd seen Uncle James—not since their visit during the summer, when it had been wet and somber and just… all-around a time in life that Hikaru didn't want to remember. Even though Uncle James looked a little thinner than before, and the bags under his eyes were darker, his light-hearted mood was a welcomed relief from everything Hikaru had worried about in coming back to Hart's Haven.

"Where is Mam anyway?" she asked.

"She went out early this morning," Uncle James said. He turned back to the stove. "Getting everything for today, I suppose."

Hikaru's smile slipped.

For a few seconds, the only sound came from the oil popping in the pan. "It's gonna be cold today, huh?" Akihiko said, looking out the window. The sheer curtains did little to block the incoming light. Outside, the snow covered the streets and clung to the leafless branches of the old ash tree growing out in the lawn. Uncle James had quite a view of the town, even if his house was just halfway up the ridge.

"News said it looks like a storm is coming. At least it'll be as good an excuse as any to visit Windhill Pub on the way back," Uncle James said. He took the pan from the stove and nudged the soft pepper-flecked scrambled eggs onto Hikaru's plate. "It's going to be a long day, though… Best to get your energy up before we leave."

Hikaru finished her breakfast in relative silence while her brothers and Uncle James chatted in a mood that seemed a little less jovial than before. Once her plate was cleared, she headed upstairs to take a shower. By the time she returned to the living room, Akihiko and Tatsuya had gathered by the unlit fireplace where the old photographs of Mam, Dad, and Uncle James watched over them from the mantelpiece.

"Just focus, okay?" Akihiko said. "You gotta… sort of just… bring up the fire…"

Tatsuya lowered his outstretched hands. "You suck at explaining things, Aki."

"Oi! Say that again, you!"

"Unscheduled magic lessons?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, still toweling off her red hair as she plopped down on the piano bench next to the fireplace. "Mam would be so mad."

"Shh…" Akihiko glanced towards the front door. Lucky for him, Mam still wasn't back yet. "A little Fire magic won't hurt anyone. And what Mam doesn't know won't hurt us."

"I'm just going to get the matches," Tatsuya said, walking back toward the kitchen. Akihiko's jaw dropped, and Hikaru snickered.

"Talk about a lack of faith," she said. Akihiko shot her a dirty look.

"Well, looks like I need a new student then." He clapped a hand against her back. "Hikaru, you're up!"

She blinked. "Wha—? You… No, I'm good."

"Aw, you sure? Been so long that you're scared of a little fire?" With a snap of his fingers, Akihiko ignited a tiny flame in the palm of his hand.

"No," Hikaru said, eyeing the fire with only a small amount of trepidation. It wasn't the fire itself she was concerned about, though it did remind her of the state of Uncle James's study and how _that_ lesson years back had gone. "If Mam saw us—"

"Mam isn't here," Akihiko said firmly. Still, he snuffed out the flame. "Stop worrying about what Mam says all the time. Don't be such a baby, Hikaru."

Her eyes narrowed. "A baby?" she repeated. "Okay, Aki, say that one more time and I swear to the gods I will—"

The kitchen door swung open. "I got it," Tatsuya said, giving the box of matches a good shake just as a rattling came from the front door.

All three of them froze for a single moment before they turned towards the door. The knob jiggled a little bit with the jingling of keys. Then there was a click, and Mam shouldered the door open, carrying a pair of paper bags in her arms as snowflakes scattered through the room.

"Someone take this," she said, adjusting her grip on the bags as she shut the door with her foot. Tatsuya took both of the bags and hobbled over to the coffee table while Mam rolled back her shoulders. "That took longer than I'd anticipated," she said. "Well, I hope you all are ready. We're leaving soon. Finish up whatever you're doing, and then…" She looked over at the three of them, her eyes narrowing. "Where's Yui?"

"Upstairs still," Hikaru said automatically, though the moment she said it, she felt her stomach drop.

Mam started for the stairs. There was a limp in her step again, more pronounced than usual, with her right leg dragging behind her left. Still, she marched up the stairs like it didn't hurt. Hikaru watched her go with a growing dread before she looked to Akihiko for some sort of guidance.

Akihiko just glanced away, scratching his neck. Tatsuya, though, turned his attention to Mam's bags. "Snow roses," he said, pulling out the bouquet of white flowers. Hikaru pursed her lips.

A muffled shout made them turn towards the stairs and the second floor hallway. Hikaru winced. She couldn't hear what Mam was saying exactly, but she'd heard it enough to have a good enough guess.

It was a few minutes later when Mam came back down, her footsteps falling heavy and loud. Her face was livid, eyes acidic and her cheeks flushed from tawny to a dark red. Hikaru couldn't hold her stare for more than a second. "If your sister wants to stay in her room all day, let her," Mam snarled. "We're leaving. _Now_."

* * *

During the summer, they would have traveled with the windows rolled down, letting in the warm air and fresh smells and all the sounds of town. Everything would have been green then, and maybe the sky would have been clear, though to Hikaru's memory, the last time they had driven down this road it had been every bit as gloomy as the mood within the car.

Hikaru kept her hands firmly on the wheel. Uncle James sat in the passenger's seat with his usual sunny cheer, almost oblivious to the mood hanging over the truck. Mam, Akihiko, and Tatsuya sat in the back, and none of them had said anything since they'd left the house, not even Akihiko with a witty comment, or a line of biting sarcasm from Tatsuya.

The town hadn't changed much since they'd last visited. Hart's Haven stood at the heart of the valley, a quiet pocket of light and activity that Hikaru had known since she was just a little girl. Everything about it was so intimately familiar: the streets, the pubs, the food vendors selling coffee and hot cakes on the street corners, the deer park…

But despite all of that, even as she followed the roads she knew like the back of her hand, she felt like nothing more than a lost stranger.

Hikaru only managed to fully breathe once she pulled over outside the cemetery gates. A wrought iron fence encircled the large plot of land specked with gravestones and solemn statues, dividing it from the streets and the faded brick buildings that surrounded it. While her family climbed out of the truck, shaking the cabin with each slam of the doors, Hikaru remained in the driver's seat with her heart pounding in her chest and her hands still clutched around the wheel.

_I hate this place._

"Good job, Hikaru," Uncle James said as he opened her door. "You brought us here in one piece."

"Thanks," she said quietly. But she wasn't so sure of that.

The air outside was still, and even the crunching of their footsteps faded into the top layer of fresh snow. Uncle James started down the main road past the pair of carbuncle statues that stood guard at the cemetery's entrance. Mam kept his pace with her back tall and gaze focused forward while Hikaru and her brothers trailed behind. Hikaru stared at the passing headstones, sinking deeper into the nest of white wool wrapped around her neck, until only her eyes and a bone-deep aching coldness remained.

"So, Luna, when are you heading over to the tree?" Uncle James asked.

"Later. It's not urgent," Mam replied. "This is more important."

The world was blinding, devoid of color other than the brown of bare tree trunks and gray of eroded stones, but every so often Hikaru caught sight of something else—a hint of yellow, or red, or blue from the dying flowers left in the snow. Most of the headstones were weather-worn, their names lost under a tangle of decaying vines and the passing of time. The newer ones were smooth and polished in comparison, and they made her heart beat faster to read them even if their names meant nothing to her.

A tightness squeezed her chest, making it harder to breathe.

They walked until they came to the place where two wide roads intersected, and at the center of the dirt crossroads stood the tall statue of a barefooted woman with braided hair and stony, lifeless eyes. Mam and Uncle James took a turn to the left, and then so did her brothers, but Hikaru lagged further and further behind until she came to a stop before the statue, her knees shaking as she clutched her stomach.

Akihiko was the first to notice. Maybe it was the missing sound of footsteps, or maybe it was just Aki being Aki, getting ready to lighten the mood. He glanced over his shoulder and stopped in his tracks the moment he saw her. "Hikaru?"

It made Mam and Uncle James turn too, and even Tatsuya lifted his gaze from his tablet screen.

"I can't," Hikaru said, shaking her head. She took a step back and stumbled. Suddenly she was feeling dizzy. She couldn't breathe. "I… I'm going to wait in the car."

"Hikaru," Mam started to say, but Hikaru didn't wait to listen. She ran as fast as her unsteady legs could bear, until the statue of the barefooted woman that watched her retreating back was nothing more than a hazy figure rising up above the graves.

* * *

Hikaru didn't know how much time had passed when her head finally stopped spinning. Huddled in the car, slumped over in the driver's seat with her head in her arms—to Hikaru the day seemed to stand perfectly still. Though outside was nothing but a heat-sucking whiteness that slowly seeped through the truck's cabin, she didn't bother to turn the heater on. Her fingers had begun to turn numb under her gloves, but she wasn't sure if it was from the cold, or the pinch of hard metal digging into the palms of her clutched hands.

It had been less than a year since her father passed away. Hikaru had been preparing for this moment for months, ever since the summer, a time that she remembered as lifeless and wet and achingly, numbingly gray. It had been cold then, too—a different type of cold, one that soaked through her clothes and washed over her clammy skin as her words fell away into nothing but a choked sob.

She hadn't been prepared. That much was obvious now.

_Tap-tap-tap!_

Hikaru jumped. The ticking metal object slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor as she snapped her head to the window, her eyes wide and bleary, her heart hammering hard in her chest. She opened her mouth, ready to shout at the person who had decided to scare the absolute shit out of her.

Akihiko opened the driver's door. "Move over," he said before she could even speak, waving her away. Hikaru stared at him for several seconds, her mouth slowly closing into a tight frown. She climbed over into the passenger's seat, giving her brother space to take her spot at the wheel.

The back door opened. "Why's it so cold in here?" Tatsuya said, crawling onto the seat behind Hikaru. "Aki, turn on the heat."

"Yeah, yeah, you don't need to tell me that." Akihiko rolled his eyes. But rather than reach for the dial, he leaned forward with one hand sweeping across the dusty floor until he grabbed Hikaru's watch. He said nothing when he saw it—just gave it a short stare before passing it over.

"Let's go for a drive," he said instead. He started the engine, letting the warm air blast through the vents as an upbeat guitar riff blared from the radio. "Got any ideas?"

Hikaru swallowed the lump in her throat. "Anywhere," she said, her voice thick and shaky in the way she always hated. She looked away and wiped her eyes on her jacket sleeve, her silver pocket watch tucked firmly under her crossed arms. "Anywhere but here."

* * *

Night fell much too quickly. By the time they pulled into the lot outside of the deer park, all the lights around town had flickered to life, filling the streets with a golden warmth. Hikaru followed her brothers without a word, burying her face into her scarf and keeping her eyes on the ground until they reached the pavilion that stood between the park and the road. Everything was bathed in the glow of the pavilion lanterns and the countless fairy lights blinking in the trees. Once before Hikaru would have enjoyed the view—but today it just hurt to look at.

"They're selling hotcakes here," Tatsuya said, stopping to look at the crowd gathered by the food stalls. A sweet and buttery smell hung in the air. It would have had Hikaru's stomach growling if she hadn't felt so quesy. "Aki, can I borrow some munny?" Tatsuya asked. "Please?"

"Oh, so now you ask nicely?" Akihiko said. But he tossed him a handful of loose change. "Just don't tell Mam, okay? And get something for me too."

"Yes!"

"Meet us at the big tree when you're done," Akihiko added, but Tatsuya was already gone. "You think he heard me?" he asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Dunno," was all Hikaru said. She wasn't in the mood to linger by the noisy crowd. She started forward again, past the park gates that had been decorated with a dozen wishes in the form of padlocks left by young couples and hopeful dreamers—a sentimentality that made her heart ache.

"Huh? Hey, wait up!" Akihiko caught up with her in a few short strides. "You're in a rush. You okay, Hikaru? You've been really quiet."

"I'm fine," Hikaru said, though she didn't really feel it.

They walked in silence below the lamps that lined the main walkway. Few people wandered this deep at this time of the year, and the threat of bad weather seemed to have kept everyone closer to the commotion of the streets. Usually it would have been peaceful, but right now, it just left an unsettling stillness between the trees.

"Are you sure it's okay to take the truck?" Hikaru said after a while. "What about Mam and Uncle James?"

"I'm sure they can make it a few blocks to get here when they're done," Akihiko said. "Relax, Hikaru. You worry too much."

"I know, I just…" She sighed, kicking at the snow. "I'm exhausted…"

Akihiko knew what she meant. "Same," he said. "It feels weird, right? Like something's missing."

"Something _is_ missing," Hikaru replied. "Everything is just… wrong." On the surface, everything seemed the same: same town, same places, same people. But there was one gaping hole that she couldn't ignore. Her hands clenched into fists at her side. "You don't seem very bothered by it," she muttered in a low voice.

"I am bothered," Akihiko said, his expression light and steady despite it. "We're all bothered by it. Me, Tats, Yui…"

"Yui?" Hikaru repeated. Yeah, right. Not according to the way she was acting.

"Hey, don't be like that," Akihiko said, brows creasing. "Tats might not like her still, but I thought _you_ knew better."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hikaru started to say, a spark of indignation flaring up inside of her. But something made her stop. They came upon the edge of the path, right in front of the giant ash tree. The glow of the lamps barely reached the roots, and it took a moment for Hikaru to realize the shadow at the base of the tree wasn't a trick of the light.

Someone was already there.

"Speak of the devil," Akihiko said, though he didn't sound surprised at all. "Yui. Nice seeing you outside."

Yui was sitting in the snow with her arms propped up against her knees. Her headphones hung from her neck, silent for once, while she flipped the lid of her pocket watch open and shut over and over again. How long she had been there, watching them, Hikaru didn't know.

"Hmp…" Yui pressed her lips into a tight line. "How was the cemetery?"

"Was alright," Akihiko said. "Hikaru bailed on us, though."

"Figures."

"Hey!" Hikaru's eyes narrowed. Luckily the indignation outweighed the pang of shame she felt at her brother's words. "_I'm_ not the one who bailed," she said, her gaze flickering to Yui's impassive expression for just a moment. "Aki, I swear to the gods I will…"

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Akihiko asked, making a point to ignore her. It just made Hikaru seethe. "If Mam knew you skipped the graveyard to come here—"

"I don't care what she'll do," Yui said, her voice suddenly sharp, her eyes that same acidic green like Mam's, enough to make the hair on the back of Hikaru's neck prickle. "There was just something I needed to do…" She leaned back against the tree, tilting her head to stare at its icy branches.

The tree had lost its leaves in the sharp chill and long nights. The Tree of Life was what the town called it, and it was probably the oldest tree in the whole valley. Dad had once told Hikaru that it was home to fairies that had lived during the Age of the Gods and hid away when the worlds of Ursa Minor were torn from each other. Hikaru had never seen any fairies, but she remembered how much she used to love that story.

"It got dark fast," Yui said as the wind began to blow, a quiet whistling between the trees. Winter days on Polaris were utterly short. Already the sun had set, turning the northern mountains into sleeping giants, though the stars and auroras of the Ursid Sea remained mostly hidden behind the clouds. Mostly.

Hikaru looked up—up at the sky between the branches, and at the clouds that had begun to part. A hint of red light from the aurora peeked through the gaps._ Red?_ she thought, frowning. The auroras weren't supposed to be red.

"So… You too have come to see the heart of this world?"

Hikaru spun around at the same time her siblings turned to look towards the voice.

A woman stood behind them—fair-skinned with dark hair, and her bare hands folded neatly in front of her body. Most of her face was hidden under a traveler's hood, but the rest of her body was wrapped in a set of elegant black and white robes that barely brushed the ground.

"Uh, heart?" Akihiko said, brows furrowed. He glanced to Hikaru and Yui, the confusion plain on his face. Hikaru just shook her head while Yui rose to her feet and brushed the snow from her pants.

The woman smiled—an expression that seemed utterly serene, and somehow a little familiar, though Hikaru couldn't quite place it. She looked like something Hikaru would have expected to see in the old paintings of noblemen left behind in the ruins of Glacian Castle, out at the furthest reaches of the valley—regal and dignified.

"I suppose it matters not." There was a strange lilt to the woman's words. She moved forward with silent steps and came to a stop beside Yui. "I had forgotten how beautiful this world was."

"Not from around here?" Akihiko asked, tucking his hands into his pockets. But he didn't slouch.

"Not from the town, no," the woman said, running her bare hand over the tree. "This world has been my home for a long time. Longer than it has for you three, that is for certain." She paused, her fingertips hovering over a hollow in the smooth bark. "I merely came to see this place one last time, while I still had the chance."

It was such an innocuous statement, but Hikaru felt a chill spread over her unexposed skin. "Are you… going somewhere?"

The woman didn't speak at first. The wind blew harder, an eerie howl that shook the branches overhead. A light flashed in the distance towards the north, and a moment later a low rumble rang out over the town. Hikaru thought it was a truck at first making its way down the main street. But it was when she heard it again that she shuddered and realized it was thunder.

"We are all going somewhere. It is inevitable," the woman said, turning slowly. Under her hood, her eyes were dark and peaceful, and snowflakes clung to her eyelashes. "I'm afraid there's not much time left. You should leave. Find your family. See the stars. Enjoy the night while it still lasts."

"Er… Right," Akihiko said. "We will definitely be doing that. Nice meeting you… Yui. Hikaru. Let's go."

"Huh?" Hikaru said. "What? But Tats…"

"We'll meet him back at the front instead," Akihiko said, pushing Hikaru forward. "Come on."

Hikaru stumbled through the snow, her cheeks puffing up as she debated on giving her brother a good smack in the arm.

"Man, that was weird," Akihiko said once they were out of earshot, oblivious to Hikaru's mood. "Who was that lady? Never seen her around here before."

"Did you notice anything strange?" Yui asked. She walked ahead of the two of them, her pace fast but stiff.

"I mean, that was pretty strange in general," Akihiko replied. "Can you maybe be a little more specific?"

Yui shot him a withering look. "That woman wasn't wearing shoes."

That made Hikaru blink. "Really?" she said. "Are you sure?"

Yui didn't get to respond, though. She shook her head, nodding forward to the tiny figure coming towards them down the path.

"Aki! Hikaru!"

"Tats," Akihiko said as their brother ran over with the steaming hotcakes clutched to his chest.

"Guys, look, they gave me an extra one," Tatsuya said, holding out the packages to Hikaru and Akihiko. One look at Yui, though, and his excitement faltered. "Oh. Hi Yui." He hesitated a moment before offering the extra package. "Do you want one too?"

"I'll pass," Yui said.

"Thanks, man," Akihiko said with a grin that seemed somehow a little strained. "Let's head back to the truck. Mam and Uncle James are probably almost done."

"Aw, what?" Tatsuya's expression fell. "But I want to take pictures of the tree."

"Someone else is there now," Akihiko replied, patting him on the back. "Plus, bad weather is coming by the sound of it, so we should get home soon."

"Fine…" Tatsuya huffed, but he didn't argue.

They continued their walk to the park gates in silence, letting Tatsuya sulk to himself with his nose back to his tablet screen. Akihiko led the way at first, calm and collected, though his usual jovial mood was gone. Yui marched onward, sullen like usual, Hikaru thought at first, until she realized her sister's expression wasn't one of cold annoyance. Yui glanced over her shoulder towards the Tree of Life and the woman who was no longer visible in the distance.

Like she was worried.

Hikaru looked back to Akihiko, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Was it what the woman said?

_No._ She cast a nervous glance around and huddled further under her coat as another rumble of thunder rolled over the valley, closer this time. _It's something else._ Something even she felt. Something she couldn't place.

It was then she noticed her sister falling further behind. "Yui?" she said. "What's wrong?"

Yui was watching the sky. The wind blew through her dark hair, forming ice crystals at the corners of her unblinking eyes. Akihiko stopped, and Hikaru did too, just at the edge of the open gates that divided them from the light and life of town.

A strange noise rang out from the trees behind them, making Hikaru's hair stand on end. The buzzing crowd outside the park slowly fell silent as the streetlights began to flicker and the wailing of animals carried over the wind out of the park.

"What the…?"

A low rumbling traveled above their heads, louder than any rolling thunder before. Hikaru looked up, her eyes widening when she saw the clouds. She watched the red sparks jump across the oncoming storm, watched as it charged the air with something more chilling than electricity.

In the gaps of the sky, the red aurora began to bleed, dripping between the clouds like liquid light.

Yui opened her mouth, her words coming out in a cloud of fog as they stared at the heavens.

Hikaru blinked. "Huh?"

A wave of pressure and static washed over Hikaru's skin, pressing down on her shoulders and chest. Then a giant flash of light split the darkness, ripping through the sky with a mighty crash that shook the ground and set off every shrieking car alarm in the valley. Hikaru clapped her hands over her ringing ears. She blinked away the flashing colors imprinted in her eyes, squinting through the beginning of tears to make sense of the shadows in her vision.

The park had fallen dark. The whole town had fallen dark. Every light in the streets, in the windows, in the town at the heart of the valley. The clouds had shattered, revealing glimpses of a whirling, raging sky. There were no stars, as if every shining speck of light had been blotted out by a layer of shadows. The only thing left was the color red, red like blood, like a festering scar tearing the sky to pieces.

Someone screamed. That was the cue, as if a spell had been broken. The silence exploded into chaos. People began to run.

"Hikaru! Akihiko! Tatsuya!"

"Mam?" Hikaru said, but her voice was lost to the uproar. Under the red glow of the sky, she spotted her mother and Uncle James shoving their way through the panicked crowd.

The wind changed direction. All around them, the trees shifted and swayed, an ominous creaking that filled the air. Strange wisps seemed to billow out towards the sky from the upturned branches and rippling rooftops. At first, Hikaru thought it was smoke; she realized a moment later it was snow.

"You kids alright?" Uncle James asked. He was almost shouting.

"What was that?" Tatsuya still covered his ears with his hands. "What's happening?"

"We need to leave!" Mam said, her voice grating against her throat. The panicked look in her eyes made Hikaru's blood run cold. "We have to get out of here!"

"What?" Akihiko said. "Mam? What's going on?"

With the groan of splintering wood, the nearest pine tree ripped free from the ground. Hikaru yelped, ducking as dirt showered down from its twisted roots. The wind was pulling at her, pulling at everything, pulling the shingles free from the roofs and the trees free from the earth. She watched in horror as a woman was picked off of the ground, screaming and flailing, by the invisible force sucking everything into the sky.

"Holy…" Akihiko broke off, stepping back as the cars in the lot skidded across the asphalt, knocking a man off of his feet and slamming into the wall. Across the street, the windows in the buildings cracked and shattered in a rain of glass. With an enormous crash, an entire rooftop ripped off in a flurry of papers and broken pieces of wood.

"RUN!" Mam shouted.

* * *

They ran. Akihiko ran. Uncle James ran. Mam and Tatsuya ran. Even Yui ran.

But Hikaru froze. She wouldn't move. Couldn't move. Her feet were like stones, and her knees wouldn't stop shaking. _Run. Run!_ She heard her own voice shouting in her head over the pounding of her heart. _Why aren't you running?!_

But how could she run? The buildings in front of her crumbled. The earth cracked and trembled. The trees ripped from their roots. The entire world was falling apart, with all of its broken pieces flying up into the sky.

Where could she run to?

"Hikaru!" It was Mam's voice. She had stopped. They all had stopped. Stopped to look at her with panic clear on their faces. Hikaru could only stare back.

Yui moved first. "Hikaru!" She sprinted back down the path, nearly knocking her over as she seized Hikaru by the arm and pulled. "Move it!"

Her legs began to work. She stumbled as Yui dragged her through the snow. Everything seemed to spin: the sky, the trees, even Hikaru herself. She shut her eyes, shook her head, trying to keep her focus forward. But she caught a flash of movement behind her family—something rising out of the shadows, like a mass of pure darkness dotted with hundreds of glowing yellow pustules. "Mam—!"

But she saw her mother's eyes lock onto something else. "Hikaru!" Mam shouted, her voice swallowed up by the sound of crunching wood.

Something smashed into the back of Hikaru's head, ripping the air from her lungs. She and Yui slammed into the ground, and everything went black.

* * *

"Nn…"

Hikaru couldn't move. Only her fingers grasped at the hard-packed snow, frantically clawing while everything else lay horribly still. She gritted her teeth, pushing down, trying to lift her head—and gasping out as agonizing pain shot down her neck. She collapsed, staring out past the lights blinking in her half-lidded eyes. Her pocket watch lay before her face, just within arm's reach. Beyond that, she saw her family and the teeming swarm of darkness.

And eyes. Countless hungry yellow eyes.

Beside her, Yui stirred.

"_Hikaru!"_ Mam's scream sounded so distant. The crashing of the world was a whisper in Hikaru's ears. _"Akihiko, James, get them!"_

"_What… What are those things?"_ Uncle James stepped back. Those things, those shadows, those glowing, beady eyes were closing in.

"_Mom!"_ Tatsuya held tight onto her arm, trying to pull her away. _"Mom, run!"_

Akihiko threw himself forward. He shoved past the shadows, kicking and punching and fighting for a way. His eyes were wide, his arm outstretched, his hand reaching towards Hikaru.

Hikaru's arm inched forward. Her numb fingers scraped, stretched, struggled, draining all the remaining energy from her body. Her vision begin to blur. She watched Akihiko fall into the snow, his legs held down by razor-sharp claws that rose out of the pooling shadows on the ground.

"_Hikaru! Yui!"_ Akihiko shouted as the claws dragged him away.

Hikaru's fingers closed around the metal cord of her pocket watch at the same moment Yui's hand closed down on her fist. She saw it out of the corner of her eye—Yui staring at her, her eyes blazing, brighter than they had ever been before.

"Don't let go," she said, her voice so clear amidst all of the muffled chaos as her nails dug into Hikaru's skin.

The last thing Hikaru saw was a flash of light.

* * *

It was a quiet night.

Sora folded his hands behind his head, looking out his window and watching the stars over the ocean as a fleeting thought crossed through his mind. How many stars were there out there? How many worlds existed just beyond the wide horizon? If Riku was right, and there really _were_ other worlds besides these islands they called home, then Sora didn't know the answer.

_Maybe I could count them_, he thought, lifting a hand and pointing to the shimmering lights. _One. Two. Three…_

He paused, tracing his finger through a blank space in the sky. The bright star that had been there moments before at the end of the Little Dipper had twinkled out of sight. Well… Counting was going to be harder than he'd thought. He lowered his hand, holding back a yawn and turning away on his side.

If there were other worlds out there, then what did it mean? Riku had been talking a lot about seeking answers and being part of something bigger. Sora didn't really get it. As far as he knew, leaving Destiny Islands and exploring other worlds—it was all just a big adventure. A chance to see rare sights. Broaden their horizons. Become strong.

Maybe they would find Kairi's home. He remembered first seeing her with the mayor years ago—a fleeting glance of a girl who had no parents, who couldn't remember where she had come from. A girl who had arrived on the night of the meteor shower.

Sora yawned again and closed his eyes. Man, maybe that weird dream was getting to him. Giant shadow monsters and stained-glass platforms and _"You are the one who will open the door"_… He had to admit, it had been a pretty strange day.

* * *

_Donald,_

_Sorry to rush off without saying goodbye, but there's trouble brewing. I'm not sure why, but the stars have been blinking out one by one. That means disaster can't be far behind! I hate to leave you all but I have to check into it._

_There's someone with a special Key—the key to our survival. I need you and Goofy to find him and stick with him! Without that Key, we're doomed. Go to Traverse Town and find a man named Leon. He'll point you in the right direction._

_Mickey_

_P.S. Would you apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks, pal._

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading!


	2. The Destiny Islands

3/10/19: Hello everyone! Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch and the continuation of the introductory arc. Thank you to the people who left feedback on the first chapter. It makes me happy to see people interested, even if it's been a long time since the original version went up. (Almost four years, wow!) But I won't keep you any longer.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 2: The Destiny Islands

A cool breeze wafted through the open window, rustling the curtains and cutting through the heat of the mid-morning sun. Neighborhood mynah birds squawked in the treetops while cicadas and day geckos chirped in the bushes outside. It was a familiar medley of sounds—one that usually signaled the start of the day, though to Sora it might as well have been a lullaby to send him back to sleep.

A sharp tapping, however, roused him from bed. He opened his eyes slowly, stifling a wide yawn and squinting. "Gahhh…" Morning already? And he was looking forward to sleeping in a little longer. He pulled his pillow over his face, blocking out the sunlight.

_Tap! Tap!_

"Sora! Are you up?"

He bolted straight up, flinging his pillow across the room. He scrambled to the window, arms and legs tangled up in a mess of sheets. "Kairi?"

She stood in the yard below his window, halfway to tossing another pebble at the wall. Her eyes seemed to light up when she spotted him, but maybe it was a trick of the sun. "Were you still sleeping, Sora?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips and puffing up her cheeks.

"Err…" Sora gave a nervous laugh.

Kairi's stern expression cracked. She giggled, holding the back of her hand against her mouth. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised," she said. "Hurry up! Riku's waiting for us!"

"R-right!"

* * *

It took twenty minutes to cross the sea. Sora took deep and steady breaths as he and Kairi rowed out to the islet. The waves lapped at the sides of their tiny wooden rowboat. The summer sun glinted off of the ocean, heating the salty air and making the sweat break out across his forehead.

"You doing okay, Kairi?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, taking those same steady breaths as she handled her side of the boat. She was probably pacing herself better than he was.

It was day six of Operation: Leave The Destiny Islands. After spending the past week working together on their ambitious project, collecting logs and rope and putting together a passable blueprint for construction, Sora could say that it was all coming together. It had at least looked like a raft when they'd left for home yesterday, though he still wasn't quite sure how far they'd be able to go in its current state.

As they approached the shore, Sora caught a glimpse of Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka climbing up the treehouse. He spotted Riku too, sitting at the edge of the dock with one leg propped up while the other dangled over the water.

"You're late," Riku said as Sora's boat bumped against the dock.

"Sorry." Sora scratched the back of his head.

"You were right, Riku. He overslept," Kairi said. She giggled at Sora's pout.

Riku hardly bothered to hide his smirk. "Surprise, surprise."

"Yeah, well… I'm here now, aren't I?" Sora said, climbing out of the boat and holding out his hand to help Kairi. "What else do we have to do?"

"We still need to get more logs," Riku said. "You know what to do, Sora."

Sora sighed. He should have figured. "I'll go find some…"

* * *

Supplies. It was hard work looking for supplies, but Sora guessed he could call it rewarding—even if he didn't have too much of a choice. Riku was the one who'd put their plans into action. The goal was to have the raft ready to go before summer break was over, which unfortunately meant more hard labor and less goofing off for Sora, but maybe he could call this an adventure too. After all, when was the last time he'd done this much exploring on the island?

After combing the beach for about half an hour, he'd found several short logs washed up on the shore near the paopu sea stack. "Guess I'll add it to the pile," he said to himself, though he really didn't want to lug everything to the back of the island just yet. He rolled the logs one-by-one over to the seaside shack, hopefully far enough out of the way that the tide wouldn't get to them.

"Oh, man…" He wiped his forehead, hunched over to catch his breath in the shade. Now seemed as good a time as any to take a break. It was a clear day, with fresh sea air and not a trace of haze in the sky. The water sparkled cleanly as the waves washed up against the heavy sand. He cast a quick look down the beach. Maybe he could take a quick dip? No one was there to watch him. Riku and Kairi wouldn't notice, right…?

Something made him stop, though. Further down in the shoreline, a blur of color stood out in the white sand, unnatural compared to the lush green vegetation and the dark wood of the trees—and it wasn't a seal either. He stared at it for several moments, squinting in the light that reflected off of the sand. He took a step forward, a strange feeling rising up in the back of his mind.

His eyes widened. Wait. Was that a…?

"Hey!" He broke out into a sprint, stumbling over to the motionless body sprawled out at the edge of the shore.

* * *

Hikaru wasn't one to dream. But she _was_ dreaming, she realized, when the emptiness of sleep changed into something cold. She was dreaming in a world that was nothing but an endless expanse of white—of the ice beneath her bare feet, and the howling storm that devoured the sky.

There was someone in front of her. She couldn't see them through the blizzard, but she knew she had to follow. She pushed forward, one step at a time with her arms raised to shield her face from the storm.

The ice cracked. She gasped, her voice lost as the world tipped around her and she fell through the water.

Then she woke up.

* * *

The first thing Hikaru noticed was the warmth of her bed—a sharp contrast to the damp chill that sunk deep into her body, down through her muscles and bones. The next thing was the gag-inducing taste of salt in her mouth. She grimaced, scrunching up her face as she turned her head. Her fingers twitched before closing around the sheets, and she forced open her sore, achy eyes.

"You're awake!"

Hikaru jolted. Pain exploded through her body—her back, her shoulder, her chest, and especially her head. She coughed, clutching her stomach as bile rose up in her throat.

"Whoa, whoa!" There was a murmur of voices. People. Multiple people. "Should we get the doctor?"

_Doctor?_ Hikaru gasped, sucking in the sterile air. She regretted it immediately. The back of her head throbbed with every movement, like it was about to split open. Her eyes were bloodshot and teary, but the coughing subsided with a few more wheezes. She lifted her head slowly.

It was a small room, thick with the smell of antiseptics. Everything seemed white and bland, from the walls to the floor to the open curtains hanging by her bed. A number of machines and monitors hung at either side of the bed, beeping erratically. But it was mainly the three people standing off to the side near the closed door that caught her attention. They were around her age, she guessed, though she didn't recognize them in the slightest. Two of them were boys: one had brown hair styled into a mess of spikes, while the older one had shoulder-length silver hair and piercing eyes a shade somewhere between blue and green. The third person was a girl, with short auburn hair and a round, youthful face.

"Take it easy," the spiky-haired boy said. He looked a little startled. "The doctor said you had a concussion. You must've hit your head. Are you okay?"

"Where… am I?" Hikaru's voice was barely a rasp that grated against her throat. She coughed again, trying to hold back the churning in her stomach.

"Here." The silver-haired boy was closest—he moved to pour her water from the jug sitting on the bedside table. Hikaru took it gratefully, swallowing it down and letting the sweet liquid wash away the taste of salt and bile. The heaving in her stomach subsided. _Gods, I hate that feeling_, she thought with a shudder.

"You're in the hospital," the girl said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck…" Hikaru winced, a hand going for her chest as a sharp pang rocked her body. She noticed the bandages that covered her hands, the IV hooked up to her arm, and the hospital gown she wore instead of her own clothes. "What happened?"

"Sora found you on the beach," the silver-haired boy said. "You were unconscious. We brought you here about an hour ago."

"Unconscious?" Hikaru repeated. It took a moment for the word to process in her brain.

The silver-haired boy nodded slowly. "You're not from around here, are you?" he asked. "I don't think we've ever seen you before."

"I…" Hikaru felt her head throb. She rubbed her eyes, massaging away the lights and colors blinking behind her eyelids. "I don't think… Where is 'here'?"

"The Destiny Islands," he replied.

Destiny Islands? She sorted through the jumbled mess in her head, running through all of the places she'd visited. Islands… She didn't know of any islands near Hart's Haven. She didn't know of any islands on Polaris at all.

But, wait. If she wasn't on Polaris, then…?

Hikaru felt it—a spark of panic. "Which star is this?" she asked, looking up so quickly that pain shot down the back of her neck.

It was a simple question, but something she said made the room go quiet; the only sound came from the machines monitoring her vital signs and the murmur of voices outside in the hall. The three strangers exchanged glances.

"Star?" the silver-haired boy repeated. Something flashed in his eyes. He leaned forward, grabbing onto the railing of Hikaru's bed. "Wait, are you… from another world?"

"Um…" Hikaru hesitated. Yeah, it kind of seemed that way. But at the same time, it didn't make any sense. How could she have just wound up on another world without an airship? "I mean, I was on Polaris when…"

"Polaris?" the spiky-haired boy asked. "You mean, like the North Star? The one in the Little Dipper?"

"You're from a constellation?" the silver-haired boy said.

Hikaru opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't even know what words she was searching for. Her head began to spin. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, rubbing her aching head. "I… I don't…"

"Guys." The auburn-haired girl spoke with enough firmness in her voice to make the two boys stop. "Don't push her. She's not feeling well."

"S-sorry…" The spiky-haired boy scratched his head sheepishly. The silver-haired boy stepped back too, crossing his arms and only looking the slightest bit guilty in comparison.

The girl nodded. "You probably have a bunch of questions," she said, speaking more gently as she turned to Hikaru. "My name's Kairi. These are my friends, Sora and Riku." The spiky-haired boy and silver-haired boy nodded respectively. "Don't mind them, they just get carried away sometimes. What's your name?"

"I'm… Hikaru." Yes, that was right—she wasn't sure why it took her a moment to remember. Her name was Hikaru Stonewall, she thought, retracing the constants in her muddled thoughts. Her parents were Luna Kannazuki and Liam Stonewall. Her brother was Akihiko. And she had a younger brother, Tatsuya. And an older sister, Yui…

Something throbbed in her hand, an echo of a crushing grip and the sting of nails digging into her skin. The red sky. The rumbling earth. The crash of lightning so loud it shook her down to the core.

"_Don't let go."_

Her eyes widened.

What happened to her family?

"How did I get here?" Hikaru whispered. Her eyes flickered around the room, to the unfamiliarity of it all. The place. The people. Even the clear blue sky that stretched outside the window. Nothing was right. She clenched her hands hard around her sheets again.

"We're not sure," Kairi said. "You washed up on shore, so you must have been in the water. Do you remember anything?"

Images flashed in Hikaru's mind, memories or her imagination, she couldn't tell. Red auroras. Her mother's terrified expression, followed by the impact of something against the back of her head. And then it was just… floating. Floating through nothingness. Or maybe she'd been floating on waves? Hikaru frowned. But what sea? There was no sea on Polaris. How had she gotten to the sea in the first place?

"This is kind of like what happened to you, Kairi," Sora said after a moment. "Do you think you two might be from the same world?"

"How would we figure that out if Kairi doesn't remember?" Riku asked.

"Maybe Hikaru knows something. We can try asking…"

"Let's give her some time to rest, guys," Kairi said abruptly, glancing over in Hikaru's direction. Hikaru hardly noticed. She sat absolutely still except for her trembling hands.

"Oh, right!" Sora scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. Well… Nice meeting you, Hikaru."

"We'll check in later," Kairi added, placing her hands against Sora's back as she pushed him out the door. "Come on, Riku!"

Riku lingered behind a moment longer, his mouth opened in some unspoken question. He closed it, however. "Hope you feel better soon," he said simply, bobbing his head and heading out.

When the door swung shut, Hikaru was still shaking.

* * *

The doctor released Hikaru a few hours later on the pleasant note that there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her aside from a minor concussion and a few cuts and bruises. And since she was awake and talking now with no sign of bleeding inside her head, she was free to go. Free to go, however, meant free to go with the police—not that Hikaru argued when she had no idea what was going on. She needed to get out of that suffocating room.

The police officer came to her room just after the doctor left. The woman asked a few questions about personal information—receiving only disjointed, distracted answers in response—then she escorted Hikaru to the car parked outside the hospital. Trudging through the sliding entrance doors, Hikaru didn't notice much at first, her mind still struggling to make sense of all that had happened to her. But then she felt a rush of hot and humid air that prickled at her skin and almost immediately started to sweat.

She squinted, shielding her eyes from the sun beaming down from the sky as she tried to focus on the world outside of the hospital. "Oh…!"

It was not what Hikaru had been expecting. Between the buildings, there were trees, green and dense with leaves. The ground was hot and sunbaked without a single trace of ice or snow. Insects buzzed in the air and fluttered between vibrant flowers that sprouted from patches of grass outside the building, while colorful birds sung from their perches on the rooftops.

_This… is definitely not Polaris._

"Come on, Hikaru," the officer—Hikaru realized she'd been too distracted to catch her name—said. She nodded over towards the police car parked in the first stall. "We can't leave the mayor waiting."

Hikaru sat in the back without a word. The officer said something as she climbed into the driver's seat, but Hikaru was hardly paying attention. She stared out the window as the car pulled out of the parking lot.

She didn't recognize this town. Not at all. The land was steady here, just a stretch of gently sloping hills dotted by houses and compact buildings that seemed to share a theme of red tile rooftops. The roads were made of hard-packed and well-worn dirt rather than asphalt, and bushes grew along the sides of hand-crafted wooden fences. In the distance, a tall mountain loomed, flat at the top almost like a volcano, the sort she'd seen when she'd lived in Pherkad. But where Pherkad was a world of dense jungles and powerful rivers, this was something different. Something quaint and peaceful.

She turned around in her seat, looking in the other direction, away from the vast mountain that rose up above the town. It was hard to see at first—the sun seemed so blinding here, even compared to the way the sun could gleam off the snow in Hart's Haven. But she saw something glittering down below the town, something that reached to the horizon. It took a moment before she realized what it was.

_It's… an ocean._

She didn't realize that the car had come to a stop until the officer opened her door. Hikaru turned away from the windows, away from the sparkling sea, and instead looked up at the building that stood before her. It was a large estate, with neatly mowed grass and bushes decorated with fragrant white flowers. A stone path cut through the front yard, leading from the road to the house.

Hikaru hesitantly followed the officer up the path, looking around, her head spinning almost as much as her body. It smelled so… so _good_ here. Gardenias and plumerias and other flowers she didn't even know the name of. It was all grass and leaves and damp earth, melding with the faint smell of charcoal and smoke. Someone barbequing down the street?

The officer knocked on the front door and rang the doorbell. "Don't be afraid," she said, making Hikaru turn. "The mayor is a nice man. His daughter is too, though I know you've already met her."

_Daughter?_

The front door opened a moment later, and a head of auburn hair poked out to greet them. "Hello—oh, Hikaru," Kairi said, her eyes widening. "You're out of the hospital already? That's great! How are you feeling?"

Hikaru was too surprised to respond; she opened her mouth, but no words came out. The officer, after a moment, spoke instead. "We're here to speak with the mayor."

"Right, of course! Right this way." Kairi stepped aside to let them in. Cool air met them in the hallway, a soft contrast to the pleasant warmth outside. The murmur of a radio or a television drifted from one of the rooms to the left. "Do you want anything to drink?" Kairi asked. "We have some lemonade in the fridge."

The officer declined. When Hikaru realized Kairi was looking at her expectantly, she shook her head as well.

"Okay. I'll be out here in the living room if you need me."

"Thank you, Kairi," the officer said, and she guided Hikaru to the end of the hallway where a set of double doors stood ajar.

It was a home office, filled with shelves and papers and a few seats set before a cluttered desk. A man—the mayor, Hikaru assumed—sat behind the desk, sorting through a massive pile of papers. He was an older man, the dark hair on his head and in his beard starting to turn white. He nodded his head when Hikaru and the police officer stepped inside and gestured for them to sit. Hikaru did so with some hesitation, folding her hands on her lap and fighting the urge to look around.

"Hello," the man said, looking to Hikaru. His voice was soft and gentle. "My name is Alecks Tealsea. I'm the mayor of the Destiny Islands. Your name is Hikaru?"

"How did you…?"

"My daughter Kairi told me," Mr. Tealsea said. "The young lady who visited you at the hospital? She said that she and her friends found you on the outer island. Can you tell me what happened?"

Hikaru made a noise in her throat. "I'm… not sure," she said, looking down and rubbing her arms where the cuts under the bandages began to itch. "Something happened… I think there was some kind of storm. I was with my family… Did you find anyone else?" she added, her stomach churning as she spoke. "My mom, or my uncle, or my brothers or sister?"

"I'm afraid we haven't found anyone else," Mr. Tealsea said. "We're not sure how you ended up here. There haven't been any storms lately. Can you tell me…? Well, before I get into any of that, let me tell you that I've made arrangements for you to stay here for the time being, until we can find more permanent accommodations. Kairi will help you settle in, and if you need any help, just ask either of us."

"Thank you," Hikaru said softly, her eyes still trained on the ground.

"You're very welcome, Hikaru," Mr. Tealsea replied. "Now… Can you tell me more about your home?"

* * *

"Here it is," Kairi said, pushing open the door. It wasn't a large room, and it was only sparsely decorated—a guest room of sorts, fitted with a clean bed and an empty closet. The air smelled stale and dusty, like no one had been inside for a long time.

Hikaru looked around slowly, taking it all in without really seeing. "My room is right next door," Kairi said. "If you need help, just knock."

"Thank you," Hikaru said, but she just stood in the doorway, her legs numb.

"We need to get you some clothes too," Kairi said. "Maybe we could go shopping tomorrow—or whenever you're feeling up to it."

It took a moment for Hikaru to register what Kairi was saying. She blinked rapidly, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, um, clothes? Yeah, tomorrow sounds good."

Kairi still seemed concerned. "Are you feeling hungry? Or do you want to rest?"

"A little hungry," Hikaru said softly, her voice almost a squeak as her throat tightened. She wasn't really, but she could feel the empty pit in her stomach. She figured that she had to eat something eventually.

"Okay, I'll go get something," Kairi said. "I'll bring it up here if you like, or you could come down to the living room to eat."

Hikaru ended up accompanying Kairi downstairs. She sat down on the couch in the living room, feeling a bit more than awkward as she looked around. It was a large house—not extravagant, but larger and definitely nicer than any place Hikaru had ever lived in. The floors were wooden, covered with soft carpet in some places, with neat cream-colored couches and a coffee table that was covered in newspapers—the Destiny Islands Bulletin.

The Destiny Islands. Her eyes wandered to the windows, where fan-like leaves waved in the breeze on the other side of the glass. Outside, the air was warm and humid. It felt like a tropical summer, not the cold and frigid winter that Hikaru remembered last. It really was a world away from Hart's Haven.

But how had she gotten here in the first place? Hikaru could only remember flashes here and there—a scream, a shriek, maybe a throb of pain. The thing that she really remembered was a sense of rising panic, her heart pounding and her breaths coming in short gasps. And darkness.

And yellow eyes. Hikaru shuddered at the thought.

Kairi came back with two bowls of instant noodles and a pitcher. "Here," she said, handing over one of the bowls and pouring a glass of lemonade. "So, how are you feeling?"

"A little better," Hikaru murmured, her shoulders drooping as she fidgeted. The physical pain had mostly dulled to a constant throb, but that was the least of her concerns. She didn't recognize this world in the slightest, and the only belongings she had were her wallet, her pocket watch, and the clothes she'd been wearing when she washed ashore—clothes that were hardly fit for island weather. Having a place to sleep was one small reassuring thing in a sea of uncertainty. Kairi was really nice too, letting her borrow her clothes (even if they were a little too small).

"It's good to keep your energy up," Kairi said, sitting down next to her. "I know how exhausting waking up alone in an unfamiliar place can be."

"You do?" Hikaru asked. But then she remembered something Sora had said earlier: _"This is kind of like what happened to you, Kairi."_

"Yeah, it's kind of weird…" Kairi blew the steam off of her noodles before slurping up a mouthful. "They found me on the beach too, when I was just a little kid. But I don't remember anything about what happened or where I came from."

Hikaru hesitated. "I'm sorry," she said. She wasn't sure what else she could say about that. _But at least… I'm not the only one_, a tiny voice said in the back of her mind, followed by an edge of relief. Immediately she gave herself a mental kick for even allowing herself to think something so awful.

Kairi shook her head. "It's not that big of a deal. Everyone here has been really nice, and if there's anyone you want backing you up, it's Sora and Riku. Even if they can get kind of carried away." She giggled. "So, you remember things, right?"

"For the most part," Hikaru said. "The end's a little hazy, but…"

"We could talk about it if you want," Kairi suggested. "Maybe it could help jog your memory—"

A loud pounding at the front door made Hikaru jump. "Kairi! Kairi, are you home?" the muffled voice came.

"Hold on!" Kairi called before she looked to Hikaru apologetically. "Sorry, that's Sora. I should have guessed he and Riku would come by. I can tell them to come back later, if you want."

"It's… It's alright," Hikaru said, struggling to calm her panicked heart. She didn't want to be hassle or keep Kairi from her friends. She lifted her bowl to her mouth and watched as Kairi went to answer the door. A few moments later, the two boys came waltzing into the living room. Riku was holding a box of pizza.

"Hey Hikaru," Sora said, waving cheerfully. "You feeling okay?"

"We brought dinner," Riku added, setting the pizza down on the coffee table.

"Ugh, you should have called," Kairi said, placing her hands on her hips. "I already made something."

"We can eat both." Sora grinned as he plopped down onto the floor.

They all moved to sit on the floor around the table. Hikaru felt a little uncomfortable sitting with the other three—Kairi at her right, Riku at her left, and Sora across from her. Speaking with one person was usually alright with her, but she was so used to following Akihiko everywhere that being a lonely stranger among friends made her uneasy.

_Maybe I should have just gone to bed_, she thought, her shoulders sinking.

"So, Hikaru," Kairi started, still busy finishing her noodles while the boys started on the pizza. "What did my dad ask you about?"

Hikaru hesitated before giving a shrug. "Stuff," she said, though she realized by the curious looks the others gave her that they wanted a more substantial answer. "He asked about my family, and my home," she continued. "And if I remembered what happened."

"Do you remember?" Sora asked, taking a swig of lemonade.

"Um… Sort of," Hikaru said. It was hard to piece together the images in her head and the echoes in her ears. Screaming, trembling, the pull of wind towards a tumultuous sky. Even with what she did remember, nothing made any sense. Red auroras? Living shadows? "It's all a mess. Everything happened so fast, I… I'm not really sure…" _I'm not sure if it actually happened, or if it was a bad dream_.

"What about your home?" Riku asked. "Can you tell us anything about that?"

"Ah…" Hikaru paused. How could she say this? "I don't… really have a home." She looked down at her noodles, stirring them around before taking a slurp. It settled uncomfortably in her stomach, filling a hollow craving but at the same time weighing her insides down. "My family, we travel a lot. All over Ursa Minor."

"You go to different worlds?" Riku's eyes seemed to light up.

"Yeah…" Hikaru nodded, rubbing her hands. "My mam never likes staying in one place too long, so we're always traveling back and forth on the airships. Before I ended up here, I was on Polaris—that's where my uncle lives, in a town called Hart's Haven."

Hart's Haven: a place where fresh snow coated the shingled rooftops, chimneys sputtered fireplace smoke into the white air, and the valleys kept the town hidden like a closely guarded secret. Hikaru and her family had spent eight holidays and most of her early life in Hart's Haven, and barring this past summer when they had returned to lay her father's ashes to rest, they were by far her favorite vacations.

Hikaru decidedly kept the last part to herself. "It's a really old town, and it snows for most of the year," she said instead. "There's a place called Glacian Castle that's further in the valley, and that's even older—my brother and I used to go hiking up to Shiva's Saddle to see it when we were younger—but it's falling apart and no one can go inside anymore. Beyond that, it's just wilderness and ice to the edge of the world…" She paused, staring at the clear broth pooled at the bottom of her bowl. "On clear nights you can see the auroras and all the stars—the Ursid Sea, it's called," she added. "No matter where you are in Ursa Minor, you can see the other six worlds…"

"No wonder we found you in that coat," Sora said. "No one here would wear anything like that."

"Your world sounds wonderful," Kairi said. "I've never been in snow before."

"It's pretty, but cold," Hikaru said. "Hart's Haven is… a nice place." As much as she had been dreading this past visit, she had to admit that she wished she was back there now. Or somewhere else familiar. Somewhere with some of the many memories of her family.

Like the winding canals of Kochab, where they'd found Tatsuya two years ago, lost and hungry with nothing but dirty clothes and a half-remembered name. Or that time she and Akihiko snuck out at sunrise to fly falcon-shaped kites from the cliff-side villages of Yildun, and Akihiko nearly slipped off the rocks and made her swear not to tell Mam, or they'd both be in for a world of hurt. Or how long ago, back when Yui would actually talk to her, the two of them ran away from home in search of that place where the edge of Polaris met the sky.

And then a time, standing at the edge of the Ibex Oasis on Anwar, watching the stars emerge at twilight to shine against the sleek mirrored surface of the pools. Hikaru and her mother, staring at a stars in the water, and then the words that made Hikaru's heart ache even now.

"_People have always watched the stars,"_ Mam had said. _"They don't know that the stars are watching them, too."_

"Hikaru?"

She flinched when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Riku was staring at her—they were all staring at her. "You okay?" Riku asked, lowering his hand. "You were zoning out a little there."

"I'm fine," she said, looking down and blinking back the tears that began to sting at the corner of her eyes. Her cheeks heated up. This wasn't something she wanted a bunch of strangers to see. "Just… Just tired."

"That's understandable," Sora said. "It's been a long day, I bet."

"You know, you're welcome to stay here as long as you need to, Hikaru," Kairi said, leaning in a little to get a better look at her face. "So don't worry about anything. In the meantime, we can try to figure out how to get you back home to your family."

"Yeah!" Sora nodded. "And if you ever need help with anything, just ask us."

Hikaru stared at Sora, Kairi, and Riku. They all had bright smiles and kind eyes that conjured a certain feeling in her chest. It was looking at a light through a fog—for a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming. "Thank you," she said softly. "So… What can you tell me about the Destiny Islands?"

* * *

The day went by fast. Too fast for Riku's liking, when it felt like hardly any time had passed at all. There were still so many things he wanted to talk about. Hikaru was a strange girl—quiet and scatter-brained, kind of jumpy, with an odd accent and an outrageously bright head of red hair—but he could have listened to her stories into the late hours of the night. Her words were like pictures, glimpses through another set of eyes that gazed at worlds far beyond the confines of these tiny islands.

But it couldn't last—not tonight, anyway. Kairi was the one to call it quits after ten, when Hikaru's words slowed down and she could no longer hold back her yawns. "I guess that's enough for tonight," Kairi said. "We should let Hikaru rest, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Sora said, leaning back and folding his hands behind his head. "Don't need to push yourself that hard."

Riku opened his mouth to protest, but after one look at how drained Hikaru seemed, he grudgingly conceded. The questions could wait until tomorrow, though he knew he wasn't going to be getting any sleep in the meantime.

Kairi rose to her feet, gathering the dishes and oily pizza boxes and ducking out of the room. Riku and Sora remained in the living room, waiting in a silence that grew steadily more awkward. Hikaru just sat there at the table, seeming even smaller than she had before as she glanced to Sora, then Riku, then directed her attention away towards the window. Riku didn't know what he could say except more probing questions about her world.

"Wanna take a look outside, Hikaru?" Sora asked. "Maybe you'll see your stars." There was such a nonchalance in his demeanor, an ease in his words that may as well have been oblivious to the awkward tension.

It seemed to work, though. Hikaru didn't even have to consider it. "Sure," she said, something sparking in her expression like the very beginning of what could have been a smile.

The two of them stood up, and Riku did too a moment later, holding back the smallest of frowns. Why hadn't he thought of that himself?

It was a cool night outside, a relief from the bright heat of the afternoon sun. A soft breeze rustled through the grass and the leaves, filling the night air with a sense of calm. The stars were out and shining, obscured here and there by wispy clouds and bleached out around the nearly full moon.

Night was Riku's favorite time of day. It carried a quietness and solitude that seemed to put the world at ease and helped him focus his thoughts. It was also the time when he could catch a fleeting glimpse of the vast universe and all the stars that dotted the sky. He stepped forward across the stone walkway, one hand resting in his pocket, his eyes drawn upwards in a search for seven stars.

"I don't see it," Sora said after a few moments, as if reading his mind. He had his hands behind his head and a thoughtful look on his face for once. "Sorry Hikaru. Haven't seen a lot of stars lately. Wonder why."

"Who knows," Riku said. "But there are plenty of stars still out there for us to see."

Seconds passed, and Hikaru said nothing. Riku glanced over his shoulder to look at her—and blinked when he saw the look on her face.

She wasn't looking at the stars. Though her head was tilted upwards to the sky like them, her wide-eyed stare had found its focus on the moon. "What… What is that?" she said with a whisper, like her breath had been taken away.

"Huh?" Sora followed her gaze. "That's the moon. You've never seen the moon before?"

Hikaru shook her head, never taking her attention away from the silvery disc. The way the light shined in her brown eyes made her look like she was crying. But there were no tears—just an innocent and overwhelming sense of awe.

_Huh…_ Riku crossed his arms, holding back a chuckle. _How weird_.

They let her have some time by herself, leaving her to turn in circles in the middle of the yard as she watched the whole sky. Riku and Sora retreated back towards the front door, taking seats on the porch steps. They could still see the stars from there, but Riku found himself staring at the distant horizon, where the stars met the dark ocean water. When it was like that, it was hard to tell where the ocean ended and the sky began.

"Do you think we'll make it out there?" Sora asked after a several long moments.

Riku didn't answer at first. "What, Sora—you having second thoughts?" he finally said, glancing at him and hardly bothering to hide his smirk.

"No, of course not!" The way Sora pouted, it made him look like a little kid. But then he shook his head and allowed himself a laugh. "Just wondering what's waiting for us out there. I'm always up for an adventure!"

An adventure. Right. Riku rolled his eyes, chucking a playful punch into Sora's shoulder. Leave it to this guy to think of it like a game. But Riku knew it was much more than that. "Maybe you should channel some of that energy into helping with the raft."

"Hey, I help," Sora said. "I got the logs today, right?"

"Yeah, all three of them." Riku countered, and he started to laugh. Sora laughed too.

_Soon. We'll get out there soon and see it all_, Riku thought. _A different sky_.

* * *

"_Outside this tiny world… is a much bigger one."_

* * *

Kairi stifled a yawn as she stepped out of the bathroom in her pajamas, the edge of her polka-dotted pants dragging across the carpet. Boy, today had been eventful. _It's already midnight… Glad it's summer._ The past few hours had really flown by. The living room was clean, Sora and Riku had gone home, she'd just finished a nice relaxing shower… Now she was ready for a good night's sleep.

Toweling off her hair, she paused outside of Hikaru's room. The door was slightly ajar, so she gave a light knock and peered inside. "Bathroom's open."

"Okay." Hikaru was sitting on the window bench, staring out into the night with her legs pulled up and her chin resting on her knees. She didn't look up at Kairi's intrusion.

Kairi frowned. "You okay?" She walked over, sitting down next to her.

Hikaru fiddled with something—some kind of charm or trinket—and kept her eyes low to the ground. "Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. Tonight was fun. I hope I wasn't butting in on anything."

"Of course not," Kairi said. "It's nice having a new face around. I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself." She smiled. "I hope I'm not bothering you, though. I can go if you'd prefer."

"No, it's alright." Hikaru managed a small smile herself, but it was strained at the edges. "I guess it's just too quiet. Thinking too much about…" She trailed off.

"I can find the radio if you like," Kairi said. "I think we mostly have classical music, though. But it's better than nothing, right?"

Hikaru blinked. "I… No, that's fine," she said. "You don't have to go through the trouble. But thank… th-thank you, Kairi…" Her voice cracked. She turned away quickly and coughed, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

Kairi hesitated. She reached out, placing a hand on Hikaru's back to gauge her reaction before pulling her in for a hug. The next thing she knew, Hikaru was crying, struggling to hold back her sobs. For a moment, Kairi was caught off guard. She patted her on the back, struggling to think of something to say. "It's… okay," she finally settled on, even though it didn't feel adequate. Because what _could_ she say in a situation like this, to a person who was still basically a stranger? Faced with uncertainty… The only thing she could offer was a little bit of reassurance and support.

The sort that Dad and Riku and Sora had given her when she'd first arrived.

"_It's okay, Kairi,"_ the mayor—the man she considered her father—had said, placing a hand on her shoulder when she'd begun to cry all those years ago. _"Don't worry. We'll figure this out together."_ It had been too overwhelming for a five-year-old girl to handle, too overwhelming for anyone. Where she was from, why she was here, even who she was… Questions that she didn't have the answers to.

Eventually Hikaru calmed down, her sobs turning into quiet breaths, her body turning limp until she was all but slumped against the cushions of the couch. "Sleep is good, at least," Kairi said softly, a faint and somewhat melancholic smile crossing her face. She stood up carefully, turning off the lamp and letting the night take its hold. Then she slipped back to her room for some shut-eye with the memories of her first night in the Destiny Islands swimming in her head.

* * *

A/N: And so ends chapter 2. Old hands might notice we're retreading some familiar ground, but I like to think it's an improvement on previous drafts; sort of essential, given some of the things I've changed. I hope you liked it! Feel free to leave a review and let me know your thoughts! Feedback is appreciated. See you next time!

Thank you for reading!


	3. Bustin' Up On the Beach

3/16/19: Hey guys! Tempura here with the next chapter of RS. Thank you everyone who's left feedback so far. I very much appreciate it and hope the story continues to be entertaining!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 3: Bustin' Up On the Beach

Hikaru woke up once the heat of the morning became too much to bear. At first she just opened her eyes, laying there under the window and listening to the soft cooing of a bird on the roof outside. Eventually she sat up, letting loose a sharp breath at the way all the muscles in her body tensed. The back of her head throbbed too, but that at least felt better than yesterday.

Yesterday… She rubbed her face before raking her fingers through her tangled red hair. Oh, boy. This was gonna be a mess to sort through.

She trudged down the hallway, rubbing the last grains of sleep from her eyes as she headed straight to the bathroom to scrub off all the grime and sweat clinging to her skin from the day before. When she closed the door, though, she could only stand there, staring at the tub and the myriad of soap and shampoo products lined up against the wall.

"Wow," she said. Mam had never let her or Yui have so many frivolities.

The thought made her feel a little empty on the inside.

A knock at the bathroom door jolted Hikaru out of her daze. "Hikaru?" Kairi's muffled voice came from the hallway. Hikaru opened the door and peered through the crack.

Kairi stood on the other side, still wearing her pajamas. "Good morning," she said cheerfully, holding out a folded towel and washcloth. "Here, you'll probably be needing this."

"Thank you," Hikaru said with a bit of a rasp in her throat.

That made Kairi's expression falter. "How're you feeling?" she asked.

"Okay," Hikaru said. "Better than yesterday."

"That's good." Kairi offered a renewed smile. "I'm gonna go get breakfast started. Dad's working at the office today, so it's just us! Come downstairs when you're finished."

Hikaru emerged from the bathroom nearly half an hour later, after the warm water and the sweet smell of camellia shampoo had at least somewhat eased her spirits and washed away the fatigue weighing down on her mind. She caught a whiff of breakfast and heard the popping of hot oil coming from the kitchen as she stepped down to the bottom stairs and turned into the empty parlor. It wasn't enough to rouse her appetite, though. While Kairi whistled a cheery tune in the next room over, Hikaru wandered along the perimeter of the parlor.

Everything was so clean and tidy. Ceramic plates and vases stood on display near the windows, while childhood photographs of Kairi and the mayor, and even group shots with Sora and Riku and occasionally a few others kids Hikaru didn't recognize hung on the walls. In one corner of the room, a grand piano stood with an open book of sheet music set out on the stand. Hikaru paused there, hesitating a few moments before she rested her fingers on the keys and leaned in to read.

She didn't notice Kairi peering into the room. "Breakfast is ready," Kairi said. Hikaru looked up, jerking her hands away from the piano as her cheeks burned. Kairi didn't seem upset, though. "Do you know how to play?" she asked, her bright blue eyes lighting up.

"Um, yeah," Hikaru said, scratching the back of her head. "I guess. Sorry for touching it without asking…"

"Oh, no, don't worry about it." Kairi waved off Hikaru's concerns. "It's better if _someone_ uses it. Dad tried teaching me a long time ago, but my hands were too small and I got so frustrated…" She sighed, but smiled. "You should play for us some time!"

"Huh? Oh, no, no, no." Hikaru shook her head vigorously. "I'm, uh, I'm good. So, breakfast you said, right?"

"Hey now, I know you're changing the subject," Kairi said, placing her hands on her hips. But she laughed when she saw Hikaru's face. "Alright, breakfast it is."

They headed into the kitchen, where Kairi had set two places at the dining table. It was a light breakfast, with neatly folded omelets, crispy sliced sausages, some sort of orange fruit filled with cottage cheese, and bowls of white rice. Hikaru picked up her metal spoon and gave the fruit a tentative prod.

"That's a papaya," Kairi said, sitting down across from her. "Ever eat one before?"

Hikaru shook her head. "Looks good, though."

"It is!" Kairi said with a nod. "So, are you up for some shopping today?"

Shopping… "Sure," Hikaru said, even though her heart wasn't really in it. To be honest, the last thing she wanted to do right now was go out—all she wanted to do was lie in bed and spend the day wallowing under the covers. She did need more comfortable clothes, though, and maybe some sunlight would do her some good.

Well, if she was with Kairi, things probably wouldn't be too bad. As long as Hikaru wasn't alone. She scooped a spoonful of the papaya into her mouth and blinked. "Oh…!"

"It's good, right?" Kairi said.

"Yeah." Hikaru smiled. She had never tasted anything like it before. Sweet, not too strong, with a soft texture and somewhat sharp smell that was balanced by the savory flavor of the cottage cheese. She took another bite.

They were out of the house by eleven, with Kairi leading the way past the rustic neighborhood houses and grassy lawns. Wild chickens weaved between the bushes along the side of the road, herding their little chicks to safety as they watched the two girls pass. Hikaru watched them too.

It only took a few minutes to get to the town. People young and old wandered the streets at a leisurely pace. A group of kids in tank tops and shorts jogged towards the beach, while businessmen and women lined up at a yakisoba food truck parked on the side of the road. Something about it all seemed so… relaxing, Hikaru thought. Maybe it was the island heat.

"The theater is just a block over if you ever feel like catching a movie," Kairi said. She'd spent most of the walk pointing out the shops and businesses—so many of them that Hikaru was beginning to lose track. "There's a shave ice shop next to it too. My favorite plate lunch place is right around the corner, and… Oh. This is the high school," she added, coming to a stop as she looked at the wide campus across the street.

"It's nice," Hikaru said truthfully. She'd only attended public school once before on Akhfa, and that campus had not been as bright and thriving with greenery as this. _I wouldn't mind trying school here_, she thought for a moment—but only a moment. Academics had never been her strong suit—reading books and solving math equations had a tendency to bore her, and she always had trouble focusing when teachers were breathing down her neck. (Not that it was much better than when her mother was the one teaching her.) Plus, trying to make friends was hard, especially when she knew she'd never be staying for long. The closest friend she'd had in Akhfa had been the sister of one of Akihiko's pals.

"Sora and I are still in middle school," Kairi explained, snapping Hikaru back to reality. "Riku's a year older than us, though, so he started there back in April. He says it's fine, but I know he misses us." Her smile seemed a little less playful this time. "What grade are you, Hikaru?"

"I'm not really sure," Hikaru said. "Whatever 15-year-olds are supposed to be? I'm mostly homeschooled."

"Homeschooling?" a voice behind them said. "That's pretty awesome."

"Sora!" Kairi said, turning around. She seemed pleasantly surprised—emphasis on pleasantly. "Wow, you're up early for once."

Sora linked his hands behind his head and grinned. "Glad to see you're up and walking around, Hikaru! You two coming to the island later?"

"Maybe. What do you think, Hikaru?" Kairi said. "That's where we usually goof off during break. It's also where we found you," she added.

"Where you found me?" Hikaru repeated. A seagull cried overhead, soaring towards the sea. She watched it fly before her gaze settled on the ocean and the little islet that rose up from the blue just a whiles away off the shore. _One piece of the mystery_. "I'll go," she said. She wanted to check out the place where she washed ashore—maybe she would find something they'd missed.

"Then we'd better hurry up with the shopping before it gets too late," Kairi said. "Okay, let's go! You're coming too, Sora," she added, hooking an arm around his and starting down the street.

"What? No, wait, Kairi! I don't wanna go shopping… Hikaru, help me!" Sora flailed his free arm, giving the biggest sad puppy eyes she'd ever seen.

Hikaru stood there for a moment, listening to Sora's pleas and Kairi's giggles, letting it all sink in. Then she choked back a laugh, a rush of vitality flooding through her body as the weight lifted from her shoulders. She hurried after them with a smile.

* * *

"Thank you so much, Kairi." Hikaru couldn't say it enough once they'd left the last store. It had only taken about an hour of wandering before their short shopping trip wrapped up with a few bags of the basics—mainly from the little thrift shop near the theater, but it was a relief to have something she could call her own that wouldn't make her sweat waterfalls in the island heat.

"No problem," Kairi said, her hands linked behind her back as they walked through the residential neighborhood once more. "I've been meaning to pick up a new swimsuit anyway."

"And thank you too, Sora," Hikaru added, a spring in her step as she turned to look at him. "For putting up with us today."

"It wasn't so bad. Got some food out of it at least!" Sora said, lifting another bite of yakisoba to his mouth with his chopsticks. "You sure you guys don't want any?"

"Can't overload on the food too early," Kairi said. "We just ate breakfast."

He grinned. "Breakfast? What's that?"

"Something people who wake up at a reasonable time are lucky enough to eat," she said, poking him in the back of his head. Her eyes lit up a moment later. "Oh, idea! Since Hikaru's here, we have to make waffles sometime. Remember how fun that was?"

"I dunno if I'd call that fun," Sora said. "Didn't the fire department come because we set off the alarm?"

"Only because _someone_ forgot a waffle in the press."

"Oh. Right." Sora scratched his head. Kairi giggled, and Hikaru couldn't help but laugh at Sora's sheepish expression as well.

It felt like forever since she'd laughed this much. From goofing off with Kairi in front of the thrift shop mirror with giant sunglasses and mismatched gaudy clothes, to watching Sora fend off an angry seagull that had tried to steal his food, the whole morning had been a refreshing break from the dark cloud that had been hanging over Hikaru's head since her father had…

"I would be up for waffles," Hikaru said, her voice softening as they turned up the empty driveway to the house, their shoes crunching on the gravel. "If it isn't too much work."

"Nah, don't worry," Sora replied. "Kairi's right. Waffles or not, a group food day sounds like a good idea. We should invite Tidus and the others too."

"Oh, right," Kairi said. "We still have to introduce you to them, Hikaru. Well, maybe we'll see them later when…" She trailed off abruptly.

It was then that they noticed someone was lounging around on the front porch steps.

"Riku!" Sora and Kairi said.

"Hey," Riku said, giving a casual wave, his elbows propped up against the steps.

Kairi rushed over to the porch, rummaging her pockets for her house keys. "What are you doing here, Riku? You didn't say you were coming over!" she said, a little flustered. "You weren't waiting long, were you? Gosh, I'm sorry."

"Don't sweat it, Kairi," Riku said. "I wasn't waiting long at all. Just figured I'd try to catch you guys early. Guess my timing was off, though." He looked to Sora, and then to Hikaru. "What're you guys up to?"

"Just shopping," Sora said through a mouthful of noodles. He held out his plate of yakisoba. "Want some?"

"No, thanks." Riku shook his head. "So, you guys are coming to the island, right?"

"Yep!" Kairi said as she unlocked the front door. "Give us one second."

* * *

There was a feeling to this place that Hikaru couldn't put into words. She wandered barefoot down the beach, pausing every few steps to wiggle her toes in the gritty sand. _It feels so weird_, she thought with a shudder and a tiny smile.

She'd never seen anything quite like it—not on Polaris, where the world beyond the valley ended in the frozen waters of Lake Bresha; nor on Kochab, where the sprawling cities were built upon a vast fresh water ocean. Here, the vibrant trees still had their leaves, and the islet's mountains stood lush and green. The overwhelming smell of salt traveled along the breeze as her feet sunk into the sand and cool water washed against her ankles.

The Destiny Islands were pretty amazing. She only wished she'd actually found something of use to her predicament.

She crouched down and picked up a shell, rinsing it out in the water before examining it closely. It was almost petal-shaped, with a three-pointed tip on one end glinting pale pink, gold, and blue in the sunlight.

Her gaze traveled down the beach. Seashells, kelp, and a few pieces of driftwood—that was all she seemed to find. _Maybe there's nothing here_, she thought, straightening up and blinking the dust out of her eyes. _Maybe it really is just me_.

She clenched her hand until the seashell dug hard into her skin. _I should find the others_.

She turned away from the ocean and headed further inland. A small wooden shack stood crooked and weatherworn next to a waterfall that trickled down the mountainside. Sora had gone this way, she was pretty sure. She pushed open the door and ducked inside.

She emerged one floor higher, where a wooden bridge connected the islet to a tree-dotted sea stack that jutted out of the water just off shore. Riku and Sora were there, and it took her a moment to realize what it was exactly they were doing.

_Sword-fighting?_ She raised an eyebrow, coming to a stop halfway across the bridge. The two boys seemed engrossed in their duel, their wooden swords clacking together time and time again. Sometimes Sora would stagger, and sometimes Riku would roll back, but never for a moment did the battle slow. They leapt around, fighting to gain the upper hand, taunting each other until Sora teetered too close to the edge and was knocked back by the hilt of Riku's sword.

"W-waaaaah!"

_SPLASH!_

Hikaru's eyes widened. Riku peered over the edge, laughing heartily while Sora flailed in the water below. "You've gotta do better than that, Sora!" he said.

"Riku, you jerk!" Sora cried.

Hikaru rushed over, her bare feet pounding against the bridge. She stopped at Riku's side and looked down to the water. But when she saw that Sora was busy flipping Riku the middle finger, she relaxed. "That wasn't very nice," she said, looking to Riku.

He shrugged. "He's used to it."

"Screw you, Riku!" Sora shouted.

"You okay, Sora?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He gave a thumbs up and an only slightly pained smile as he made his way over to a ladder propped up against the sea stack. "At least someone cares about my physical wellbeing. _Riku_."

"Hey, you're a big boy, aren't you?" Riku replied. "You better not be asking me to go easy on you."

"No way," Sora said, climbing back onto dry land and shaking the water out of his spiky hair. "I just wasn't planning on taking a swim."

"This happens often, I take it?" Hikaru asked.

"Every day, more or less," Riku said. "What's the score now, Sora? 12 to 3?"

"12 to _5_ thank you very much."

"Same difference."

"Well, aren't you cocky?" Hikaru laughed. Sword-fighting and banter. It was almost like she was back home, taking potshots at Akihiko and getting her ten-year-old butt kicked again.

"_Aki, no," she said. "I'm not doing it. I hate training."_

"_Come on, Hikaru," Akihiko said for the tenth time as he followed her down the hallway. He carried both of their sabers in one hand and his mask in the other. "It'll be fine. Mam isn't home. Tomorrow's the competition, and that guy from Anwar is left-handed," he added. "Please? I'll owe you. I'll do your chores for a day."_

_Hikaru paused. "… A week," she said._

"_Three days," Akihiko countered._

_She held her hand out, gesturing to her saber. "Deal."_

That day hadn't ended well. Mam had come home early and given Hikaru and Akihiko an awful lot more than an earful. The resulting aftermath had been one of the few times Hikaru really ripped into her brother; she'd refused to speak to him for a full week, leaving Yui to play the mediator for once.

And yet… she couldn't bring herself to lock away that memory now. _It hurt a lot. I was so mad_. She rubbed her wrist absentmindedly, the long-silenced echo of a painful bruise. _But…_

She was surprised at how much she missed it.

She clenched her hands. "You know what, Riku?" she said, the words coming out before she could catch them. She hesitated a moment, but Riku was already looking at her. "I'll take you on."

"Huh?" He blinked. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

Was she? Hikaru didn't answer at first.

But Sora spoke for her. "Don't be a wimp, Riku!" he said. "Hikaru, catch!" He tossed his wooden sword through the air. It landed on the ground at Hikaru's feet. "Show him who's boss!"

"Thank you, Sora," she said, picking up the sword and giving it a test swing. Definitely weighted differently from Akihiko's gear. "And of course I'm up to it," she added, putting on her bravest face. "Unless you're afraid of losing."

Oh, she was probably going to regret this.

Riku laughed. "Alright, but I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a girl." He raised his sword into the air. Hikaru backed up, gripped her sword in her left hand, one foot forward and the other foot back as she fell into an old familiar stance.

"_Deep breaths," _Mam had told her, back before Hikaru had thrown away all the hard work her parents had poured into her. All the hours, all the pain, all the blood and sweat and tears, wasted the moment she'd snapped her saber in two and thrown the pieces into the trash. _"Clear your mind. And when you lose yourself in the fight…"_

_You'll truly feel alive._

She took a deep breath.

Hikaru snapped back to reality just in time to block Riku's swing.

She staggered back, the force of the impact trembling through her arm. Quickly she backpedaled, slipping back into familiar motions as she put a wide space between them. _Damn_, she thought, adjusting her grip as the nerves in her arm tingled. This guy was strong.

"You sure you're up for this?" Riku asked.

"No," she said, rolling back her shoulder. "But I can't back down now, can I?"

Riku smirked. "Suit yourself."

"Get him, Hikaru!" Sora called.

Hikaru took her time. They circled each other slowly, watching each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. She took another deep breath, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, the adrenaline lightening the weight from her body.

"_Three," Hikaru counted. "Two. One."_

"_Go," Aki said._

She started forward with a quick swing of her sword. Riku's blade twitched to meet her. He blocked, the wooden blades sliding across each other as he twisted his sword around in an effort to knock Hikaru's out of her grasp. She pulled back, stepping away and regaining her footing.

"Not bad," Riku said, spinning his sword around in one hand. "You gotta try harder than that, though."

A nervous smile threatened to break over Hikaru's face. She adjusted her grip, edging forward, keeping her eyes on Riku's hands and feet and turning to watch his face every other moment.

She hazarded a step forward, moving to catch him in the shoulder, but he turned out of the way. Hikaru's eyes widened as she stumbled. Immediately she raised her blade in front of her, blocking Riku's counterattack.

Their swords clashed together, and suddenly Hikaru found herself on the defensive. She scrambled back, deflecting the incoming swings as fast as her arms could manage, but each blow sent a shockwave to her shoulder.

"_Parry," Akihiko said, jabbing out. Hikaru raised her blade, deflecting the strike just inches from her face and jabbing out in return._

But this wasn't Akihiko. Riku swung again and again, forcing Hikaru back before she could find a single opening. She could only block, holding back the force of the next blow with both of her arms before shoving forward with all her strength.

Riku shoved back, and Hikaru lost her footing.

"Too slow!" He jabbed out, hitting Hikaru in the chest and knocking her back. But the smirk on his face disappeared the moment she felt the ground disappear under her feet. "Watch it!"

He grabbed her by the wrist before she could tumble over the edge of the island. Hikaru gritted her teeth, her heels scraping against the ragged stone at the corner of the sea stack as she hung there, suspended for a single moment by just one arm. With a quick tug, Riku pulled her back onto the land.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm… I'm fine." Hikaru crouched over, hands resting on her knees as the blood slowly returned to her limbs and face. Her heart pounded madly, and she still felt the tingling bruise in the place where she had been poked by the sword. "I guess I should've been more careful. Thank you…"

"Don't want anyone getting hurt, right?"

"Gee, thanks," Sora said. "Where was that chivalry when I was being pushed into the ocean?"

"So you want to be treated like a damsel in distress?" Riku asked.

"Oh… I'm a damsel in distress now?" Hikaru placed her hands on her hips.

"Err…"

"Kidding," Hikaru said, waving off his awkward expression. He was kind of right. She straightened up, rubbing her shoulder and staggering over to Sora. She handed him his sword back.

"Thanks," he said. "You good?"

Hikaru nodded. Better than she'd expected.

"That wasn't the first time you've had a sword-fight, was it?" Riku asked.

"No, not exactly," Hikaru said. "My parents taught my brother, and when I was younger, my mam used to make me practice with him…" She cut herself off abruptly, her throat tightening before she shook her head and leaned against the nearest palm tree to catch her breath. "I was never that good," she went on. "Aki's been practicing for ages, and he's a natural. Towards the end, I only helped him when he really needed it." And only if Mam wasn't home. "Plus, when it comes to beating something up, I find whacking things with a big stick seems a lot easier."

Riku and Sora had a chuckle at that.

"Hey, guys!"

They turned toward the bridge as Kairi's voice carried over the sound of the waves and seagulls. She came jogging over from the seaside shack's door, stopping when she reached the tiny island. "Are you guys goofing off again? Oh, Sora, you're all wet!"

"Sorry, Kairi," Sora said, scratching his head. "We were just sparring."

"And you didn't invite me?" she said with a huff. "Well, come on. There are towels somewhere around here, and your spare clothes are in the cove. Can you two look for material for the sail?" she added, turning to Hikaru and Riku. "We still need rope—I think there might be some in the treehouse. But if you're too tired, Hikaru, you can totally just rest."

Hikaru shook her head. "I'm fine, Kairi. What was it? Rope? Got it."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't pass out on us," Riku added. Hikaru couldn't help but squint at him.

Kairi, though, just smiled and gave them a thumbs up. "Then I'll leave you to it!"

* * *

"Doesn't look like there's anything left there," Riku said as he climbed back down the treehouse ladder. A quick search of the makeshift fort had turned up empty—whatever materials they could use had already been stripped away in their initial sweep of the island a week ago, back when they were just starting the project. Now all that was left were bare planks and old rusty nails. If they took anything else, he was pretty sure the whole treehouse would come tumbling down.

Which would not have been ideal, but if it really came down to it, would the others _really_ mind if they lost one measly treehouse?

Hikaru waited below at the foot of the ladder, craning her neck as Riku descended down the ladder. "That treehouse is massive," she said. "Did you all build everything?"

"Not everything," Riku said. He dropped down the rest of the way, landing lightly on his feet. "Kids have been coming to the island for years. Everyone just keeps adding new parts."

"I wish I could take a picture," she said. "My brothers would love it…"

"Come on, I bet it's nothing compared to the places you've been," he said.

"I guess…" Hikaru shrugged. "I still think it's neat."

Was it really that impressive? Riku didn't think so. The uneven floorboards and countless extensions all showed the same thing: small town kids with nothing to do trying to build their own little world of adventure. But there was more to life than playing make believe.

He started towards the other deck across the beach. "What are the other places like?" he asked. "The other worlds from your home?"

"Well…" Hikaru trailed behind him. "They're all really different… What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Riku said.

"That's asking a bit too much, don't you think?" Hikaru said. "Can you narrow it down some?"

How could Riku narrow it down? There were so many questions he had, so many answers he wanted. Amazing sights, amazing places, amazing adventures… He really did want to know everything.

"Best sunrise," he finally settled on.

"Yildun, hands down," Hikaru said. "That world is basically all mountains, and the air is clear, so you can see really far in the distance."

"Creepiest place?"

"Ooh… Hmm. The Ramuh Cathedral in Akhfa was creepy. And I've never been there, but people say Epsilon is really eerie too—no one goes to that world since it's just an empty wasteland."

"Favorite world?"

"Oh, come on," Hikaru said. "Now you give me the hardest question?" She crossed her arms, thinking for a long moment. "Polaris, I guess. But Kochab was really nice. We stayed in a flat right by the main canal, and it had the perfect view of the Leviathan Bridge." She smiled to herself. "The last time we stayed there was when we found Tats. He's a little brat sometimes, but I'm glad we kept him around."

There was something in her expression that changed as she spoke. Riku couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Something relaxed… but also sad.

They reached the ladder to the deck. Hikaru elected to stay behind again while Riku climbed to the top. Usually Tidus or the others would have been hanging around on the platform, though today it was deserted. Riku walked over to the corner of the deck where a long rope was coiled up on the floor.

It was the rope Tidus's group usually used to hang their wet clothes after swimming. Riku was pretty sure they wouldn't miss it. With the rope wrapped up around his shoulder, he climbed back down and started for the paopu sea stack. Hikaru followed close behind.

"How long have you guys been working on this raft?" she asked.

"Since summer vacation started," Riku said. "But I've had the idea for a long time. We were just waiting until school was out to do it." Ever since he'd moved on to the high school, he hadn't had much opportunity to spend time with Sora and Kairi. Sure, they hung out most weekends and in the evenings after school when they weren't swamped with homework, but it was different not being able to see them between classes.

"You must want to leave pretty badly," Hikaru said. "Isn't it kind of dangerous, going out on a raft in search of… well, in search of another world?"

"What's life without a little danger?" Riku asked. "I've wanted to leave this place for a long time. To see what else is out there." He found himself looking out across the sea, to that place where the water met the sky.

"Huh…" Hikaru followed his gaze.

"What about you?" he asked. "Do you want to explore?" _You've already had a taste of it, haven't you?_

But what she said surprised Riku. "I don't know," she said, still staring at the horizon. "Exploring sounds fun, but I… kind of just want to go home."

Fair enough. This whole ordeal must have been a shock for her. She had been separated from her family, and unlike Kairi, she still remembered them. Riku didn't know what it would be like to be separated from Sora and Kairi. He didn't want to imagine it.

Would he ever get homesick? It was a question he'd never asked himself before. He'd spent his entire life on these islands. He knew every nook and cranny, all of their secrets.

No. No, there was so much to see. Homesickness meant nothing to him. Leaving would be worth it if he had that chance to explore, to learn about what lay beyond the sea.

"Hey, Riku!"

He blinked, turning towards the call of his name. A new boat had just pulled up at the docks, and the three passengers scrambled up onto the platform, waving. _Oh, it's them_. He moved to casually hide the coil of rope behind his back.

Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie jogged over, carrying their usual gear: a short pole, a blitzball, and a jumprope respectively. "You up for a duel?" Tidus asked. He slowed down, however, propping his short pole over his shoulder when he spotted Hikaru. "Who's she?"

"Her name's Hikaru. She just got here yesterday," Riku said as the three came to a stop in front of them. "Hikaru, this is Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka."

"Oooh, a new girl, huh?" Selphie moved in first, leaning forward, her eyes wide and curious. Riku had to hold back a snicker when he saw the way Hikaru ever-so-slightly leaned back out of the way. "Great!" Selphie said. "Someone else for me and Kairi to talk to!"

"What, Selphie, we not good enough?" Wakka asked, tossing his blitzball up in the air and catching it.

"You guys are great and all, but sometimes a girl needs to have a little girl talk," Selphie said. "Don't you agree, Hikaru?"

Hikaru scratched her head and laughed. "Dunno how good I'll be at that, but sure?"

"Well, while they have their _girl talk_," Tidus said, rolling his eyes, "Riku, you and me, sparring match, right now."

"You sure you want to lose again?" Riku asked. He dropped the coil of rope on the ground. Working on the raft was important, but he couldn't pass up a challenge. "Fine. You're on."

* * *

The day at the beach wrapped up at sunset, when the little rowboats departed from the docks and returned to the mainland. The town, the hills, and the distant mountains took on an orange glow in the fading sunlight. Long shadows stretched across the sand as all of the kids climbed from their boats and headed to the footpath back to town.

"We should have a barbeque tomorrow," Selphie said, leading the way with an excited spring in her step. She came to a stop in front if the empty driveway to Kairi's house, turning around to face all of them. "Oooh, we can do a movie night too! Kairi, can you bring your projector?"

"I'll try to remember," Kairi said.

"We're definitely having another rematch tomorrow too," Tidus said, aiming his short pole at Riku. "I'll win this time."

Riku seemed utterly unfazed. "Good luck," he said. "I could take all three of you on, no sweat."

"Oh yeah? You wanna make that a bet?"

Wakka gave Tidus a sharp nudge in the back, pushing him ahead. "Come on man, don't go draggin' us into this. If you gotta fight anyone, fight Sora."

"Hey!" Sora pouted.

"No offense, Sora," Wakka said, though it didn't sound like he was all that apologetic. Tidus grumbled under his breath, but Wakka just gave him another shove. "Well, we'll see you guys later!"

"Tomorrow, party," Selphie said. "Don't forget!" She departed with a cheery wave, chasing after her friends. "Oh, and nice meeting you Hikaru!" she called back as she disappeared over the crest of the hill.

Hikaru laughed. "Same!"

Well, that was quite the colorful group. Hikaru couldn't remember the last time she'd talked to so many people. After everyone gathered up on the beach towards the end of the day, it had been nonstop chatter. _Exhausting_, she thought, stretching her arms out at her side. But not necessarily in a bad way.

"You guys heading home?" Kairi asked, looking to Sora and Riku. "Or do you want to hang out inside?"

Riku shook his head. "Can't tonight. Gotta clean."

"I can't either. We got chicken for dinner," Sora added.

"Oh, yeah, like that's a good excuse," Riku said, crossing his arms.

"What? It's hard to beat a good chicken wing."

"Sora's right," Kairi said with a sage-like nod. "Chicken is very important. Savor it." She giggled. "We'll just meet up with you guys tomorrow, alright?"

"Yup!" Sora gave a thumbs up. "See you Kairi! Bye Hikaru!"

"Later," Riku added.

The two boys hurried off down the main road, leaving Hikaru and Kairi alone in front of the house amongst the fragrant flowers and the soothing buzz of the evening insects. "So," Kairi said, turning to Hikaru with her hands behind her back. "How was it today? Did you have fun?"

"Loads of fun," Hikaru replied. Shopping, sword-fighting, searching for supplies, listening to Selphie talk for two hours…

It was actually really nice.

"Well, I'm glad." Kairi started for the front door. "You must be tired though. Dad's still working so I'll heat up some soup. Ooh, soup and grilled cheeses. That sound good?" she asked as she unlocked the door and slipped her shoes off.

"Sounds excellent," Hikaru said. She plopped down on the porch, taking a moment to lean back and watch the orange sky before reaching for her boots. Something hard dug into her thigh, though, and she emptied out the pockets of her shorts. Her watch, the shiny seashell, and a handful of loose change clinked in a pile against the wooden floorboards.

"What's that you have there?" Kairi asked. She leaned over as Hikaru shook the excess sand out of her boots.

"Huh?" Hikaru looked down. "Oh. It's a pocket watch." She picked up the silver trinket. The front of the lid was engraved with the design of a five-pointed star centered around a tiny red stone. She flipped open the lid to show the clock face on the inside.

Kairi sat down beside her. "Can I see?"

"Sure." Hikaru handed it over, letting Kairi examine it, chain and all.

It was just a lucky thing it still worked after getting water-logged. Mam and Dad had gotten one for each of them—for her and Akihiko and Yui—back when they were just kids. Mam would have killed her had it been broken.

In some ways, having it was a relief. With only memories and half-dreams floating in her head, at least she had something solid to hold onto.

"You know," Kairi said after a moment, "it kind of reminds me of something." She picked the shiny petal-shaped seashell off of the ground. "See? The points of the star taper off like a Thalassa shell."

She was right. "Neat," Hikaru said, setting her boots on the side.

"Do you know the story about Thalassa shells?" Kairi asked. When Hikaru shook her head, she explained. "Legend has it that sailors made charms out of them to hope for a safe journey. I'm trying to make one for the trip, but I still need a couple more shells. They're pretty rare, so you're lucky you found one."

"You can have it," Hikaru said.

"Huh? Oh, no it's yours. You keep it."

"I don't have anything to use it for," Hikaru said. "Just think of it as… as a thank you for helping me out so much." Really, she owed them much more than a tiny little seashell. Hikaru wasn't sure how she could pay them back.

Kairi smiled. "Thank you, Hikaru," she said. "I'll be sure to put it to good use."

Hikaru smiled back. "That's all that I could ask for," she said, turning back to the wide evening sky and the pale white moon that was just beginning to rise over the horizon.

_If there was anywhere in the worlds that I could have ended up, I'm glad I ended up here._

* * *

A/N: Let me know how you liked the chapter! Feedback is still very appreciated.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Star-Shaped Fruit

3/23/19: Hey guys, Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch! This one gave me a bit of difficulty, but finally I have it finished. Thank you everyone who's left feedback so far.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter too!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 4: Star-Shaped Fruit

One day was all it took. Hikaru grimaced to herself, rubbing her tender arms and the peeling skin of her sunburn. After more than a year in Akhfa, a world of cloudy skies and endless rain, she'd lost some of the color in her tawny complexion. But it took only a day of island exploration to crisp up in the sub-tropics. She didn't mind the tan at any rate, but the sunburns were a different story.

_Should've worn sunscreen_, she thought as the boat bumped against the islet's dock. Well, at least it wasn't too bad. Kairi had given her some aloe vera before they'd left the house that morning, and it soothed the irritating sting surprisingly well.

"Don't touch it," Kairi said sternly. She picked up her projector from the bottom of the boat, cradling it in her arms. "That won't help it heal any faster."

"But it's itchy." Hikaru pressed down with her fingertips, watching the pale impressions on her inflamed skin form and fade away. "Ow."

"See?" Kairi said. "Told you."

"Yeah, okay, I'll stop." Hikaru grabbed the fishing rod as she climbed out of the boat and safely secured their ride back to the mainland to one of the open posts.

"Sora's not here yet, no surprise," Kairi said with one look at the other boats that had taken up station. There were four of them so far, each almost identical to Hikaru's eye, though Kairi knew her friends and their rides much better than she did. "Looks like Riku should be somewhere, though. I'll go find him… after I put this away." She glanced down at the projector in her arms. "Hopefully the office won't miss this."

"Just don't drop it," Hikaru said.

"Oh, I'll do my best." Kairi started forward. "I'll be back once I find Riku. And maybe a few more Thalassa shells. In the meantime, you can try fishing. Catch something good, alright?"

"I make no guarantees," Hikaru called after her, watching Kairi hurry off towards the seaside shack. _Well… Let's give this a shot_. She walked to the edge of the dock, peering into the clear water that lapped at the sides. Colorful fishes darted through the shallows below her feet, but those weren't big enough for lunch.

_Further out, then_, Hikaru thought, giving a test swing and pointing out with the fishing rod towards the clear blue horizon.

She lowered her arm, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Hey, Hikaru!"

"Hello Selphie." Hikaru glanced over her shoulder towards the footsteps coming down the dock. The brown-haired girl gave a very feline smile.

"What'cha up to? Early morning fishing?" she asked.

Hikaru nodded. "Kairi thought it would be fun. She lent me a rod." Though Hikaru was a little doubtful that she would get anything. Fishing had never really been her favorite hobby.

Selphie took a sweeping look down the beach. "Where is Kairi? I thought I saw her just now."

"She went looking for Riku," Hikaru said. "And some seashells too, I think? She told me to just get started with the fishing."

Selphie giggled. "Kairi's trying to make a lucky charm with those shells, right? She's so creative! I can't wait to see the finished product." She rocked back and forth on her feet, barely able to contain her excitement. "Hey, speaking of lucky charms… Hikaru, you're new here. Have you heard of paopu fruit?"

"Can't say that I have," Hikaru said as she stuck a little bait onto the hook and cast out the line.

"Paopu fruit are those star-shaped fruit that grow on the island over there." Selphie pointed to the sea stack where Riku and Sora liked to have their duels. From this distance, Hikaru could just barely make out the large yellow fruit hanging between the leaves. "It's said that if you share it with a person you _really_ care for, it binds you together forever! That's why star-shaped charms are said to be lucky."

"Really?" Hikaru tilted her head.

Selphie nodded, letting out a dreamy sigh as she pressed her hands against her face. "It's so romantic. I gotta try it sometime…"

A neat legend, Hikaru thought, though not one that struck a particular chord with her. She wasn't as big of a romantic as Selphie was in that regard, as she had quickly come to discover after yesterday's long conversation during Tidus's utter devastation at the hands of Riku. It was more the bit about the charms that caught Hikaru's attention. She felt for her watch tucked away in her pocket.

Something jerked at the fishing line, nearly ripping the rod from Hikaru's grasp. "Whoa!" Her eyes widened as the rod began to bend. She tightened her grip on the handle and pulled back. "I got a bite!" she said, looking to Selphie. "I can't believe that I got a—w-whoa!"

_SPLASH!_

* * *

"Wow, Hikaru, what happened to you?" was the greeting Hikaru received when Sora finally arrived at the dock.

"I went fishing," Hikaru said flatly, her cheeks heating up. Her carroty hair hung limp to her shoulders, and her clothes dripped with cold salt water. Kairi and Riku stood behind her, with the latter putting in little effort to hide his snickering. Hikaru had ascended beyond embarrassment. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want, but who's the one who caught lunch?" She held up the large fish at the end of the line for Riku to see.

"Whoa, a mackerel. Nice catch," Sora said.

Riku crossed his arms. "Eh. Not bad."

"Wakka brought a cooler to keep it in until we're ready," Kairi said.

"Are we roasting it over the grill?" Sora said, his eyes lighting up. "Old-school style? Yes!"

"Do you have a change of clothes?" Riku asked as Hikaru squeezed out the water from her shirt.

"No. Didn't think I was going for a dip today." Hikaru grimaced. Selphie had offered to let her borrow one of her extra sundresses before she'd hurried off to find Tidus and Wakka, but Hikaru had politely declined. "I'll manage."

"Let's get you a towel at least," Kairi said, patting her on the shoulder and guiding her back down the dock. "Meet us at the raft later. You two can take the fish," she added, turning to the boys. "Don't lose it."

"Come on, Kairi, how are we going to lose a fish?" Riku asked.

"Mm… I dunno." Kairi made a big show of thinking, tapping her fingers against her chin. "But you always find new ways to surprise me."

* * *

Hikaru heard the bickering before they even entered the cove.

"I say we should name it Highwind."

"No way! We should call it Excalibur."

"Are you two arguing about something again?" Kairi asked, leading the way as she pushed open the door. Hikaru followed behind her with a damp towel slung over her shoulders.

Sora and Riku were sitting on the ground just beyond the door, facing the ocean. The cove was calm and cool compared to the sunny shoreline around the front of the island. The steep mountain that towered above the beach offered a shady refuge from the noon high sun, and the sea breeze whistled softly between the palm trees. A quiet stretch of beach just past a small inlet and a rickety wooden bridge showed promise of new sights. Hikaru had never been to the back of the island yet, but she guessed that the fabled raft was hidden away somewhere nearby.

"We're just trying to figure out what to name the raft," Sora said cheerfully. He had a stick in hand, busy drawing up a list of names in the dirt. "Have any ideas?"

"I'm fine with whatever you guys choose," Kairi said. Hikaru just shrugged.

"Well, we narrowed it down at least," Riku said. He stood up, brushing the sand off of his pants. "Looks like it's up to us to decide. You up for it, Sora?"

"The usual?" Sora jumped to his feet. "Bring it on, Riku."

"Ooh, I'll be the judge!" Kairi stepped forward. "Usual rules apply: Take any route you want. First one to tag the tree and make it back here wins!"

"A race?" Hikaru asked.

Kairi nodded. "That's how these two make decisions when they can't agree," she whispered.

First sword-fighting, now beachside races. _Never a dull moment here_, Hikaru mused, watching as Kairi hurried over to the bridge to survey the rest of the beach. Sora and Riku in the meantime took position next to each other.

"So whoever wins gets to name the raft, right?" Sora asked, stretching out his arms and legs.

"Just the name?" Riku said. "Why don't we make this a real bet? What do you think, Sora?"

"Hm…" Sora thought for a few moments, face scrunching up in concentration. "Oh, I know! If I win, I get to be captain of the raft. And if you win…"

"I get to share the paopu with Kairi," Riku said automatically.

There was a pause before Sora's eyes widened, and even Hikaru quirked an eyebrow. "Huh?!" Sora stepped back, dropped his arms and staring at Riku like he'd just grown a second head.

Riku flashed him a cocky grin. "Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi."

_Oh, yeah_, Hikaru thought as Sora's face went beet red. _Definitely never a dull moment_.

"Wait a minute!" Sora shook his head frantically. "I didn't say—"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence. "Okay, looks like everything's clear!" Kairi called from the bridge, raising her hands into the air.

"Better keep up, Sora," Riku said, crouching low and tightening up his legs.

"Wait, no, Riku…"

"On my count," Kairi called. "3, 2, 1—Go!"

Riku took off, and a moment later Sora scrambled after him. Their shoes kicked up clouds of dust and sand as they sped off, their footsteps falling hard against the creaky bridge. They leapt over the broken wooden platforms and ran past the vibrant seaside undergrowth until they were out of sight.

"That happen a lot too?" Hikaru asked, nodding in the direction the boys had left as Kairi walked back over.

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked.

"Nothing, never mind," Hikaru said, holding back a smile.

Three minutes later, Riku came sprinting over the bridge, just slightly winded as he jumped down to meet them. Only a moment later did Sora come charging across the inlet, soaked with sea water and sweat and gasping for air. "Did… Did I win?" he asked, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"Nope, I win again," Riku said. "That settles it—we're naming the raft Highwind."

Sora groaned, pulling at his hair. "Aw, man…"

Riku laughed. "Chill out. It's just a name after all," he said, hooking an arm around Sora's neck and giving him a knock in the head. "And I was just joking about the paopu thing. You should've seen your face."

Sora pouted.

"Alright, that's enough fooling around." Riku abruptly released his hold on Sora, letting him stumble away. "Time to work on the raft. Come on."

The raft, it turned out, was sitting just beyond the inlet, past the browning palm fronds and bits of driftwood floating in the knee-high water under the bridge. At first all Hikaru saw was a massive weather-worn tarp pulled over something big and bulky at the edge of the water. But when Riku and Sora let the tarp drop to the sand, revealing what exactly was underneath it… she was surprised.

"What do you think?" Kairi asked.

"Wow," Hikaru said, her eyebrows disappearing under her bangs. "You guys did this by yourselves?" She wasn't sure what she had expected, but this was an actual raft. The logs were nailed together and tightly bound, and they even had a sail rolled up at the base of the mast.

"Not bad, right?" Sora said.

"But it's not finished yet." Riku pulled a folded blueprint out of his back pocket. "We won't be getting far like this. Hikaru, do you mind helping us?"

"Sure," she said. Not like she had anything else to do.

They spent the next couple hours working on the raft, tying up the log floor and nailing together the mast and rudder. As the sun rose higher into the sky, its bright and powerful rays peered over the top of the mountain. The sand began to bake hot, dry, and painful against bare feet. Hikaru splashed in the shallows to cool off before she sat down on the logs and helped Sora adjust the rudder.

"Sorry Riku's making you do this," he said, using a wooden mallet to pound the next piece into place.

"No, it's fine," Hikaru said. "Better than just sitting around doing nothing, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Sora straightened up, wiping the sweat from his forehead before giving the rudder a little test nudge. "So…" He set the mallet down on the raft floor and leaned back. "You find anything about your family yet?"

Hikaru hesitated. She shuffled her feet, letting her heels dig deeper into the wet sand. "Not yet," she said. Nothing new from yesterday's search of the beach, and nothing new from Kairi's father. "I'll figure it out though. Eventually."

Sora nodded. "Everything'll work out," he said. "I'm sure they're looking for you right now."

"… Right," Hikaru said. They were looking for her. They had to be. At least she was somewhere nice and safe, and soon her mam and Akihiko and the rest of them would find her lounging around on the beach with the Destiny Islands kids. And then… she would go home.

Or, at least that was what she told herself. She needed to find them, her family—she knew that—but how could she do that when she was stuck here? Something bad had happened, and she could almost taste the memory on her tongue. Biting air, blinding light, a rattling in her bones. And a sense of horror and dread that only grew stronger the longer she thought of it.

For a moment, she recalled a wave of yellow eyes.

She dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands until the sting became too much. All she could do was wait. Regardless of whatever happened, they'd find her. After all, if she was okay, then the rest of her family was okay too.

Right?

Footsteps creaked on the raft, and a shadow moved over her, blocking the heat of the midday sun. "Well, this looks like enough for now," Riku said, checking the mast. "I think the others might've started on lunch. Feeling hungry yet?"

"Starved," Sora replied, rubbing his stomach.

Riku was right. When they headed back to the front of the island, they found that Wakka had already started a charcoal burn in an old steel grill on the beach. He sat on a cooler, waving away the smoke and stoking the embers as the air over the grill rippled with heat. Hot dogs, soft-shell crabs, and the whole cleaned mackerel Hikaru had caught earlier were laid out on a wooden board, ready and waiting.

"Finally coming to lend a hand, eh?" Wakka asked as they approached. "Gonna take some time still. I think I got enough food for everyone, but if you like you can look for more…"

"Hey, Riku!"

"… Or you can embarrass Tidus again," Wakka added as Tidus came running across the beach with his short pole in hand. "Up to you, man."

Riku laughed. "I guess I can teach him another lesson. Let me guess, Tidus—round two?"

"You know it!" Tidus said, spinning his short pole around and ducking down into a battle stance. "I'll definitely whoop you this time."

"We'll see about that."

"Hey, hey, just keep it away from the food, alright?" Wakka said, shooing them away from his barbeque. "No one wants sand in their grill."

"Then you should've set it up over there," Tidus said. "You know, not on the beach?"

"You don't got any right to talk, Tidus. You haven't helped at all!"

"I'm gonna get some water," Sora said, mainly to Kairi and Hikaru as he held up his empty bottle. "Be right back. And then it's my turn to beat you, Tidus!" he added a little louder.

"Pffft, I'd like to see you try!"

* * *

Hikaru waited on the beach only until Wakka finished grilling the first batch of soft-shell crab. Once she nabbed a bamboo skewer, she retreated to the waterfall where the shade of the palm trees and the cool spray of water offered a momentary reprieve from the sun. Even as she refilled her bottle, she could still hear the sounds of battle, of energetic banter, and of Kairi shouting words of encouragement to Riku and Tidus over the steady trickle of water running down the mountainside.

"Ouch! Cheap shot, Riku!"

"It's not cheap if it gets the job done!"

She splashed her face, soothing the burn on her cheeks and the lingering sting of salt in her eyes. Took a deep breath, let the air cool her from the inside out. She looked to Kairi and Wakka pouring over the grill, to the two boys fighting on the sand, to Selphie making her way over to them from the docks.

Then she looked beyond to the sea, and the dense white clouds that floated over the skyline.

_Maybe they have the right idea_, she thought. Maybe she should ask…

The crunch of the undergrowth and stumbling footsteps caught her attention. Hikaru turned to see Sora emerging from a curtain of leaves on the other side of the waterfall.

He didn't notice her. A ghastly pallor had taken over his skin, and he clutched his water bottle in both hands, casting a flighty glance over his shoulder back the way he came.

"Sora?" Hikaru asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

He blinked, looking at her, eyes widening. "I, er… I'm fine. Just got a little startled back there." He gestured back to the curtain of vines. "Thought I saw…" He shook his head and gestured to the half-eaten skewered crab in her hands. "Wakka finish cooking?"

"Not yet. I just grabbed something early."

"Right…" Sora nodded. "I'm… gonna go see if Tidus wants to spar." He tightened his grasp on his water bottle and hurried over to the bright heat of the beach. Hikaru watched as he shook away the fear and straightened out his back and shouted at Riku and Tidus for his turn in the fight.

She turned to the moss-covered wall. The leafy vines hanging there blended in almost perfectly with the rest of the foliage that grew at the edge of the waterfall, to the point that she would never have guessed anything would be hiding behind it. She stepped forward, reaching out a hand for the curtain of leaves and hesitating just a moment.

She pulled back the vines and peered into the dark passage. The wind brushed against her face as a faint whistling greeted her from within. Her stomach churned, and she stared into the darkness, unable to move at first. She looked towards the light and the ocean and all the laughter as Riku handed off his sword to Sora, before taking a deep breath. She stepped into the cavern, listening to her footsteps echo against the walls.

Yeah, she could see why Sora would get freaked out in a place like this.

A chill ran down her spine as she walked deeper into the cave. It seemed like an eternity before the passage brightened, though it must have been only a couple dozen steps. Hikaru eventually came into a wide cavern where white sunlight spilled from a gap in the ceiling to illuminate the pictures drawn on the walls. "Huh…"

Alone in the dark it felt like she was being watched from one of the dark corners of the room, like a monster could pop out at any moment. But there was more to this place than the cold and the shadows. She looked around at the drawings on the walls, seeing silly smiles, a crown, a castle, and countless other fantastical images depicted in white on the stone. Then on the far side of the room, she saw a pair of faces staring at each other. It took a few moments for her to realize who they were.

Sora and Kairi. Sora was easy—no one else Hikaru had ever seen had spiky hair quite like his. Kairi, she guessed from the drawing's big eyes and blushing cheeks. It looked like Sora was giving Kairi a star.

A paopu fruit? Hikaru felt a smile tug at her lips. Oh, that was too sweet. She straightened up and looked around again, this time tilting her head as she focused on what appeared to be a wooden door. She didn't see a doorknob or a keyhole—it just looked like a nice hunk of carved wood with gold engravings, rather out of place compared to the rest of the cave. She pressed her hand against it and gave a tentative push, but it didn't budge.

"So you found this place, huh?"

"Fff—!" Hikaru jumped and spun around to see Riku standing at the edge of the cavern.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, raising his hands defensively when she opened her mouth to yell at him. "Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you."

Hikaru felt her anger wither away, replaced with a sharp burning in her cheeks. "Sorry. You just… caught me by surprise." She lowered her head. "Did you guys all draw of these?"

"Yeah, a long time ago," Riku said. "Most of them back when we were kids. Sora and I, we found this cave sort of on accident. We hardly ever come here anymore."

"It's nice," she said. _Creepy, but nice. A little secret place_. "What is that?" she asked, looking to the door.

"That's been there since before we found the cave," Riku said, walking over to it and giving it a good knock. "No one's been able to open it. No one knows what's on the other side."

"Maybe there's treasure," Hikaru said. "Or a secret house. Or a sleeping monster."

Riku shrugged. "Maybe," he said. "Anyway, Wakka's finished cooking. He said to grab it before it gets cold."

"You mean more crab? Sounds good." Hikaru started for the exit, pausing when she heard only her own footsteps echoing through the tunnel. "Riku? You coming?" She glanced over her shoulder to see him standing with his hand against the door.

"… Yeah," he said, his voice distant. "Sorry, yeah, I'm coming."

* * *

The day passed quickly once the food was gone, though ultimately it didn't feel like they'd done much of anything. Kairi spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around on the dock, carefully threading together her Thalassa seashells while she talked with Hikaru. Sora decided to challenge Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka to a fight, three on one. Only Riku felt like working on the raft after lunch, when everyone else had their fill of food and sleepy looks on their faces. He just rolled his eyes at their laziness and headed to the cove alone.

They were a little behind schedule given all that had happened the past couple days, but the summer was still young, and they still had more than a month to finish the raft. He supposed it would be fine to let them have their fun this time. As the sun inched across the sky, casting longer shadows across the beach, Riku made his double-checks and reinforcements until he was satisfied—or as satisfied as he could be at this point. He took a seat on the raft and mulled over a blank sheet of paper.

_Food? Food should be easy as long as we have some nets and fishing rods. Should probably stock up on water_. He tapped his pencil against his knee, frowning._ Maybe another tarp just for shelter? But if we take too much gear with us, it'll weigh us down._

He sighed, dragging his fingers through his hair and crumpling his checklist. Leaning against the mast, he looked out to the ocean and the first traces of the orange evening catching along the edge of the clouds.

But something prickled in the back of his mind, tugging his attention towards the shadows that stretched down the mountainside. He turned his head, glancing to the old watchtower that stood creaking in the breeze above the beach.

His eyes narrowed when he saw the cloaked figure standing at the bottom of the tower, watching him from the shadows under its hood.

_Who…?_

At first, he thought it could have been a trick of the light. The seconds passed in silence. The figure in the brown cloak remained motionless as the underbrush surrounding it rustled in the wind. Then it moved, slowly, carefully, turning around and slinking off into the bushes.

Riku braced his arm against the raft, pushing himself up to his feet, ready to call out. But as he opened his mouth, another voice cut through the silence of the beach.

"Riku!" Selphie said. She came running down the path, her arms held out at her sides as she stumbled on the slippery sand. "Hey! We're gonna start the movie soon!"

"Selphie…" Riku's gaze flickered back to the deserted watchtower. "Hold on, there's something…"

She came to a stop in front of him. "Now, I know you have your big project and all, but you've gotta spend time with your friends too, Mister!" she said, waving a finger at him. "Wakka's making some popcorn. Also, we need to borrow your sail."

"What?" Riku's attention snapped back to the petite girl standing in front of him. "What for?"

"For the movie, duh!" Selphie placed her hands on her hips. "You guys took all the stuff from the island. Your sail will make a perfect screen. Promise we'll give it back."

Take the sail? _No way_, Riku thought. Not after they'd spent so much time trying to find the cloth in the first place. But he knew that look Selphie was giving him—that "never take no for an answer" glint in her stare. He clenched his jaw, glancing at the watchtower one last time.

He crouched down, lifting the rolled up cloth and handing it over. "Fine. Just bring it back in one piece."

"Thank you!" Selphie chimed. "Can you go find Kairi and the others and let them know we're gonna get started soon?"

"Yeah. Sure." Riku was only half paying attention as he ran off.

* * *

There was no one at the watchtower when he checked—and no sign that anyone had been there at all.

_Was I imagining things?_ he wondered, looking over his shoulder as he walked through the doorway out of the cove to the front of the island. No, he was pretty sure he'd seen someone watching him. It wouldn't have been the first time a stranger showed up out here, at least.

But something interrupted his thoughts as he made his way down the beach, passing under the islet bridge. A strained voice carried over the crash of the waves. It sounded a lot like swearing.

He looked up towards the sea stack and blinked when he spotted someone dangling over the edge of the paopu tree.

"Hikaru!" he called.

She peered over the top of the trunk, gritting her teeth as she kicked her legs out over empty air. In her hands, she clutched a long cane-shaped branch. "Riku… A little help," she squeaked.

"Hold on!" He ducked into the shack, coming out on the second floor and jogging across the bridge to the tiny island. He hurried to the tree, taking a few steps out along the trunk until he was standing just above her. She looked up at him with huge brown eyes, unable to do much more than make a strangled noise when he grabbed her by the wrists and hauled her back to her feet.

Her legs were shaking as she stumbled back onto land. "T-thank you," she croaked as she rubbed her eyes. She leaned against her tree branch, which seemed more like a sizeable hiking stick when she propped it upright.

"Are you alright?" Riku asked. "How'd that even happen?"

"I was trying to get one of those fruits," she said, her voice a little thick. "Then I slipped."

"The paopu fruit?" He turned to the star-shaped fruits hanging from the tree. So that would explain the tree branch; she'd probably tried to use it to knock a fruit down. "Huh… Well, hold on then." He leaped back onto the tree, arms out for balance as he stepped along the narrow trunk.

"Be careful!" Hikaru snapped to attention, tightening her hold on her stick.

Riku just smirked at her anxious expression. As the tree trunk began to curve upwards, he leaned forward, gripping the bark and swinging with his free hand reaching for the yellow fruits that grew up in the leaves. His fingers hooked around one and he felt the stem snap. "Whoa!" he said, pretending to stumble as he tilted out over open air, his other hand still holding on tight to the tree. He heard a gasp and glanced up to see Hikaru, her eyes wide and a hand half-outstretched. "What, you bought it?"

She groaned and pursed her lips, cheeks puffed up in a look that resembled Sora's brand of angry. "Don't do that!"

Riku laughed. "Relax, I'm just joking around," he said, heaving himself upright. But then he felt his hold on the tree slip for real, and it all seemed to happen in slow motion. He only managed a gasp as he braced himself for impact with the water.

"Riku!" Hikaru shouted.

* * *

Hikaru heard the splash before she reached the edge. She stumbled, flailing her arms and giving a squeak as she nearly tumbled after him headfirst into the sea. _Oh, gods!_ She staggered back, holding a hand over her mouth as she watched Riku paddle to shore.

He trudged onto the sand, taking a moment to shake the water from his hair before looking up at her. His expression seemed utterly unconcerned, and he gave a half-grin as he held up the star-shaped fruit. Hikaru released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and she started towards the bridge with her branch as a walking staff for her still-unsteady legs.

He reached the bridge just as she began to cross it, and they ended up meeting in the middle. "Here," he said, tossing her the fruit.

Hikaru fumbled to catch it, though the fruit was the least of her concerns at the moment. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him up and down for any sign of scrapes or blood.

"I'm fine," he said. "Takes more than a dip in the water to hurt me."

Hikaru pursed her lips. Sure, he seemed fine, but he was still soaking wet. "That's why you shouldn't trick people like that," she said, crossing her arms with a huff.

"Oh, come on, I was just joking around." Riku laughed. "You've gotta admit, it was pretty funny. Plus, I'm fine. That's all that matters, right?"

Hikaru stared at him, grumbling a few choice words in her head before grudgingly relenting. She may not have found it that humorous, but yeah, Riku was fine. She supposed that really was the main thing. "Well," she said, lowering her arms. "Thanks for grabbing this for me."

"No problem. Why did you want it anyway? Getting hungry?"

"No. Well, a little, but that's beside the point." She fumbled with her pockets, holding the paopu in one hand and her walking staff in the crook of her arm. She pulled out her pocket watch, letting it dangle by the chain. "I wanted to see something."

Riku seemed curious. He reached out, flipping her pocket watch over and examining the design on the lid. "It looks like something Kairi's making," he said.

"Yeah. My mam gave it to me. She gave one to all of us…" Hikaru looked down at the two stars in her hands, one a simple engraving on a silver watch, the other a large fruit with soft skin and a pleasant citrusy smell. "She always talked about stars—shooting stars and guiding stars and stuff like that. I thought it was a… neat coincidence." She looked back up to see Riku giving her a thoughtful expression.

"You know about paopu fruits, right?"

"About how it binds the people who eat it together for all eternity? Selphie told me," she said. "She seemed pretty excited about it."

"Yeah, well, that's Selphie for you," he said. He sat down on the bridge, letting his legs dangle over the edge. "How are you feeling? You look better than yesterday."

"I _feel_ better." She plopped down next to him, setting her walking staff and the paopu fruit on the bridge. "I think doing some hard physical labor is helping."

Riku chuckled. "Just don't work yourself too hard," he said.

"Better than just moping around, I think," she replied, trying to keep her voice light. By the look Riku shot her, it didn't seem like he completely believed it. "Moping won't get me back home." _Nothing I'm doing here will_.

"Well, once you get back home, maybe we'll visit," he said. "After we find a way off of the island. We could visit all of these places you've lived in."

"Maybe." Hikaru cracked a smile. "I would be happy to act as tour guide."

They lapsed into silence that honestly wasn't all that unpleasant. "… You know," Riku said after a moment. "You've managed to travel around and see all these different places. You've seen what's out there. That must have been something else. In the meantime, I've been stuck here all my life, here in these islands. I'm… sort of jealous."

"You live in such an amazing place, though. And you have great friends," Hikaru said. _Truthfully…_ _I'm a little jealous too._ Though she'd met all sorts of people over the years, she'd never had the chance to make friends as close and these three. Not when she knew that her time spent would never last.

"It's nice, but…" Riku knocked a fist against the bridge, looking out towards the sun as it slowly sunk towards the horizon. "I've wanted to go for so long… But I didn't seriously think that I'd be able to leave until Kairi washed up here. I was just saying that the day before you arrived, actually. And then you showed up. It must be a sign—there's something out there for us to see."

_A sign, huh?_ Maybe he was right. Maybe there was a reason why she had come here, to a tiny island world where the kids spent their days seeking something more.

Hikaru clenched her hand around her watch. "… I was wondering," she started to say, averting her eyes to the docks when he looked at her. "Could I come with you guys? On the raft, I mean. I think if I go out there… I might be able to find my family."

"Hm… Well, it might take some more work," he said, rubbing his chin. "But… I'd say there's room for another passenger. Of course, we'd better make sure it's alright with Sora and Kairi, but I doubt they'd say no."

Hikaru blinked. "Really?" she asked. Her hold on her pocket watch relaxed, and she released a sigh that somewhat eased her shoulders. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Riku said, shaking his head and rising to his feet. "Better than just waiting around here, right?"

"Better than nothing," Hikaru agreed. Because what would they do—what would her family do, if they were here with her?

"_Ready for an adventure?" _the echo of Akihiko's voice rang in her ears.

And then her sister's words from a time long ago, back when they were young and stupid and seeking an escape from everything. _"If we keep going, we'll find it,"_ Yui whispered in a cold and bitter memory. _"A way out of this place."_

_I hope._

* * *

He had been waiting for this moment.

How many years had it been? When the sunrises and moonsets bled together, and the passing of the countless days left no effect on what remained of the person he once was, time seemed of little importance. Children would come to the island as they always have, oblivious to the secrets that lay hidden deep within the confines of its darkest spaces. They longed for the warmth and radiance of the sun in a world of blinding light.

But as he watched the children make their way across the beach, with all their chatter and laughter washing away on the receding waves, he knew that even in the brightest light there could sprout a seed of darkness. He'd seen it in that boy's eyes.

Because for all its light, these islands were naught but a prison surrounded by the endless sea.

* * *

A/N: Things are beginning to move forward. This may not bode well for our young heroes.

Let me know what you think of the chapter! Feedback is appreciated.

Thank you for reading!


	5. The Storm

3/31/19: Hello everyone, Tempura here with Chapter 5 of Re-sketch. Thank you everyone for your kind reviews for the last chapter. I barely managed to push this one out on time, and I have to say, I'm actually pretty satisfied with how it turned out. It is... quite a chapter, to say the least. But I won't keep you waiting.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 5: The Storm

The movie ended after the final sliver of orange sunlight disappeared below the horizon. One by one, the brightest stars blinked to life overhead as the lonely silver moon climbed the sky to join them. Out here there were no streetlights or electric cables. Instead, the flickering lights bobbing along the beach came from the old lanterns that Riku and the others carried as they departed from the cove toward the docks.

"Man, I can't wait to take a shower," Sora said, barely stifling a yawn as he stretched his arms out over his head. It was a sentiment that they all shared, Riku was sure. Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka had already left for the mainland, parting with friendly goodbyes and budding ideas for tomorrow's plans.

"You still have popcorn in your hair," Kairi said. She reached over to pluck yet another piece from Sora's unruly spikes.

"Gee, I wonder why." Hikaru crossed her arms and gave Riku the side-eye. "Couldn't have been because _someone_ was too busy trying to scare us instead of watching the movie."

"Hey, I'm not the one who knocked the popcorn into the air," Riku replied. "Not my fault you and Sora can't handle a ghost story."

"Jerk." She stuck her tongue out.

They reached the dock, where the wood floor creaked under their footsteps and the waves lapped against the sides of the boats. The others busied themselves with checking their belongings—towels, clothes, and Kairi's projector to name a few—and preparing for the row back home. Riku, though, remained standing at the edge of the dock, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other let his lantern hang idle at his side.

Kairi was the first to notice. "You just gonna wait around, Riku?" she asked, pausing mid-step as she climbed down into her boat. It made Sora and Hikaru turned to look at him too.

"I'm gonna check the raft one more time," Riku said. "Make sure the sail is okay."

"You sure?" Sora said. "It's getting late."

"Yeah, I'll be fine." As appealing as a hot shower and a hearty dinner sounded, he still had other things to finish up first. "Don't wait up."

"Huh. Suit yourself," Sora said with a shrug. "See you tomorrow, Riku!"

"Bye," Hikaru added with a wave as she climbed into the boat after Kairi.

But while Sora readied his oars and undid the ropes securing his boat to the dock, Kairi lingered a moment longer, staring at Riku. "Be careful," she said.

"Careful? About what?" Riku quirked an eyebrow and laughed. His smile slipped, however, when he saw her unreadable expression in the dim light.

"Mm… I don't know," she said, a thoughtful note hanging on her words. "You always manage to surprise me."

The two boats departed with another round of goodbyes. Riku remained standing there, watching them leave until they were just tiny lights making their way towards the glow of the mainland. A cold wind blew, skimming across the surface of the water and prickling at his skin.

He turned around and began walking.

* * *

"Alright, I think the pasta is done. Hikaru, can you pass the pot holders?"

The two girls scrambled around the kitchen amidst a blend of mouth-watering smells. Tomato sauce bubbled thickly over the stove's back burner while garlic bread crisped and browned in the toaster oven. It wasn't the first time Kairi made pasta, though she was thankful for having a helping hand this round—even if Hikaru mainly stuck to cleaning the dishes.

With a pair of pot holders in hand, Kairi dumped the pasta into a strainer, letting the hot water rush down the sink's drain. She gave a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead and setting the empty pot back onto the stove. "Good teamwork," she said, turning to Hikaru. "Hope you're hungry. I think we might've made a _little_ too much."

It was just the two of them gathered around the table once dinner was ready to serve. They piled the food onto their plates and filled their stomachs with something a little more substantial than popcorn after a long day spent on the beach.

"Mm…" Hikaru slurped down her pasta and wiped the tomato splatter from her mouth with a napkin. "It's so good eating homemade meals again."

"Your family doesn't do cooking in the house?" Kairi asked.

"Sometimes," Hikaru said. "Whenever my mam isn't feeling well, my sister cooks for us. But she hasn't been feeling well lately either." She chewed her food slowly. "It feels like we've only been eating takeaway for months. Going back to Hart's Haven was a nice change, at least."

Kairi offered a smile. "Well, I'm glad you like it. Sorry we only had sausages, though. Usually I like using hamburger in my spaghetti too."

"No, this is fine," Hikaru said. "I wish we had pasta like this more often. When my sister cooks, she doesn't use meat at all. She's so picky." At that, Hikaru wrinkled her nose. It made Kairi laugh.

"Well, we'd better savor it as much as we can," she said. "If you're coming with us on the raft, then it'll be some time before we eat meals like this again."

"Right…" Hikaru nodded before returning to her food. She paused after a couple of bites though. "Hey, Kairi?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you want to leave?" Hikaru crunched down on a piece of garlic bread. "Sora wants an adventure, and Riku is all about discovering the unknown… Do you want to find your old home?"

"Hm… Well, I think that would be pretty cool," Kairi said. "That's one of the reasons, I guess. But…" She thought for a moment, struggling to imagine in her mind's eye that mysterious and unknown place where she had spent the first years of her childhood. So much time had passed for her memories to come back, yet everything remained blank. When she thought of what drove her to explore, it wasn't the past that drove her forward. "Mainly, I think I want to go because my friends are going," she said. "Whether I find the place I was born or not, it doesn't matter too much to me. Destiny Islands is my home."

"Huh… I think I get that, sort of," Hikaru said. "That's a nice thought."

_Yeah, it is_. Kairi smiled, though for some reason it was an expression that felt heavier than usual.

They set their dirty dishes in the sink and left the food on the counter to cool once they had finished eating. While Hikaru went upstairs to take a shower, Kairi took up her usual spot in the living room, kneeling down at the coffee table while she carefully threaded together the remaining Thalassa shells for her project. The television played at low volume, but she paid it little attention when she was focused on not pricking herself in the fingers with the needle.

Something made her pause, though—the softest rumble that was almost lost to the ambient noise of the house. She looked up from her handiwork, glancing around while the murmuring of the television continued on. It was soft at first, but after a few moments, she heard the drips against the rooftop.

_Rain?_ she thought as the pitter-patter above her head grew steadily louder. The news didn't say anything about that. _I wonder if Dad has an umbrella._

Hikaru came down the stairs in a fresh set of clothes just as Kairi stood up to grab the phone. "Didn't expect it to rain," she said, toweling off her hair.

"That's the summer weather for you," Kairi replied as she dialed the number to her father's office and propped the phone against her shoulder to ring. "One minute it's clear skies, the next—"

Another low rumble of thunder came, louder this time, just as the lights in the house flickered. The television screen flashed with a moment of white static, and the ringing in Kairi's ear stopped.

"The next, it's storming," she finished, reaching to dial the number again. _Darn phone lines going out in the rain_. "You get used to it pretty quick after a while. You haven't lived an island summer until you've had a hurricane scare…" She paused. "Hikaru, are you okay?"

Hikaru had suddenly gone rigid. She wasn't looking at Kairi—wasn't really looking at anything. "I… Sorry." She shook her head, lifting a hand to massage her eyelids. "I just… had this feeling…" She flinched as the thunder rolled through the drumming rain again.

"Do you not like thunder?" Kairi asked.

"I… guess I don't," Hikaru said, though she didn't sound very sure of herself.

Kairi's brows creased. "Hopefully it passes soon," she said. "Guess it's a good thing we left the islet when we did, otherwise—" She broke off, her eyes going wide as realization hit her. "Riku!"

"Huh?"

"What if he's still at the islet?" Kairi turned to the phone, punching in his number as fast as she could. It had been more than two hours since they'd left. Surely he'd be home by now, right? She was just being overly anxious.

But she couldn't shake the feeling in her thrumming heart as she listened to the phone ring.

"Hello?" she said once the line picked up. "Hi, Mrs. Kiyuna? This is Kairi. I was just calling to check if Riku was home yet…"

Her stomach dropped when she heard the response.

"Oh, okay," she said, keeping her voice light and steady even while she felt the blood drain out of her face. "No, no reason. Thank you. Good night to you too." She hung up, dialing a new number as she looked to Hikaru and her confused expression. "Riku hasn't gotten home yet. I'm calling Sora and…" Before anyone picked up the other line, a blinding flash lit up the rain-splattered windows. The phone clicked and went silent.

_Oh no_.

"Change of plans," she said, hanging up the phone and rushing to the front door. If Riku was out there still, he'd be all alone on the island—and there was no way he was going to leave the raft on the beach, not after all the effort and sweat they'd spent working on it this summer. _We need to tell Sora_, she thought, grabbing her coat from the rack. Her mind raced as she plotted out her best course of action. _Go now? No, we have to get Sora first. But do we have enough time?_

"Hikaru, I'm so sorry, but I need your help," she said as she pulled on her coat. "Can you get Sora? I'll go ahead to the islet."

"Are… Are you sure you'll be able to make it alone?" Hikaru asked.

"I've rowed through worse. We haven't even told you about the time we almost got stranded during the last hurricane." Kairi managed a smile. "As long as I know you guys will be following, I'll be fine. Alright?"

Hikaru hesitated. Kairi saw the look in her eyes, and for a moment, she regretted the question. _What am I saying?_ she thought. She was asking too much—too much of a person she still barely knew, a person who was still recovering from everything that had happened before they had even met.

But Hikaru spoke before she could retract her words. "Right," she said, clenching her hands. "Let's go."

* * *

It was a deluge that Hikaru hadn't seen since she lived on Akhfa. She recalled those gloomy days and long, dreary nights, where the rain poured through the dingy streets and narrow alleyways of the Sleepless City, and the flickering red and blue neon lights reflected in the puddles on the ground. Music would flow from the bars and clubs that lined the sidewalk, cut through by the sound of the bells from the Ramuh Cathedral and the ever-present rumbling of thunder in the sky.

She wasn't in Akhfa anymore, but even here in the Destiny Islands, the rolling heavens sounded so familiar… So why did she feel this way now? She ran down the road until her stomach churned and her heart stuttered like it was about to stop beating altogether.

_Damn… _She stopped under the light of a streetlamp, crouching over, her balled fists pressing hard against her knees. Her head began to throb, like something struggling to claw its way through her skull. Something was wrong.

"_We are all going somewhere,"_ a quiet voice whispered in her head, the ghost of a memory slipping away between her fingers. _"It is inevitable."_

Hikaru grabbed herself by the arm, digging her nails into her skin and shaking her head. She pushed forward, running through the downpour and the empty neighborhood streets until she came to the modest two-floor house Kairi had pointed out on their first tour of the town.

She caught the spiky-haired boy as he came running down the driveway. "Sora!"

"Hikaru!" Sora stumbled, hopping on one foot as he held a flashlight between his teeth and struggled to pull on his left shoe. "The raft—and the storm—"

"I know," Hikaru said, her voice just a rasp in her throat. "Riku didn't go home yet. Kairi went ahead."

"What?" Sora's eyes widened. "We need to hurry and help them out, then!"

They ran down the sidewalk under the flickering streetlights, reaching the docks in a matter of minutes. Hikaru gasped for air, her chest heaving as they rushed out onto the wooden platform, but with the shine of the flashlight, she saw that only Sora's boat was tied to the post.

"Come on," Sora said, jumping down into the boat. Hikaru hesitated before she hopped in after him, and they worked together to row as fast as they could towards the island.

* * *

The boat slammed against the dock with a surge of choppy waves, knocking them off balance. Sora winced, rubbing his head and all but scrambling onto the dock as a bolt of lightning ripped through the sky. The bolt struck the top of the mountain with a deafening crash, shaking the ground and nearly sending Sora sprawling across the wooden floorboards. He flinched as the impact of the strike and the noise rattled his insides, and he squinted up at the chaotic sky. _I have a bad feeling about this_, he thought, tightening his hold on his wooden sword. "We gotta find Kairi and Riku. Hikaru?"

He turned around. Hikaru had crumpled at the edge of the dock, her head low and her hands clapped over her ears. "One… second," she choked out through shaky gasps, barely audible over the pouring rain. Another bolt of lightning cut through the air, making her scrunch her eyes shut.

Sora crouched down next to her, reaching out and letting his hand hover just inches above her shoulder. "Hey, are you alright?"

Hikaru lifted her hands slowly. "Y-yeah," she managed to say. "The lightning just… scared me." The way she pressed her lips into a tight line, and the sudden shadows under her eyes—she looked almost sick. Sora hesitated, but he helped her up. "Where… do you think they are?" she asked.

"Um… In the cove, maybe?" If they were tying down the raft, that would definitely be his first bet. He knew they were still here from their boats bumping against each other in the waves. He started forward, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Hikaru was still following him as he stepped down the stairs and onto the sand.

A sinking feeling in his gut made him stop. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, sending a shudder across his skin like the temperature had plummeted ten degrees. Something was watching him—he could feel it. He looked around, searching the darkness.

Then he saw them.

They rose up from the ground like living shadows—just blobs of darkness at first, until they began to take shape. Twitching antennas stretched out in the cold, wet air, followed by giant round heads and massive claws and countless glowing yellow eyes. Dozens of them crawled out of the ground like a swarm of monstrous ants.

"These things? " Sora's eyes widened. _They're from my dream._ He clutched his wooden sword in both hands, digging his heels into the sand as the creatures crept forward. "Hikaru, watch out for their claws!"

But when he looked back, he saw the absolute horror in her eyes. "I… I've seen these things before," she whispered, staggering backwards until her back was pressed up against the dock.

"Where?" Sora had taken his eyes off of the creatures for only one moment, but that was all that it took. He saw Hikaru's gaze flicker past his head, and he knew what was coming. He spun around, swinging his sword and catching the creature on the chin, tossing it away. The ant hit the ground and rolled, but it quickly rose to its feet, flexing out its claws and preparing for another jump. Not like in his dream where all it took to defeat them was a hard blow to the head with that weird sword…

He was beginning to wish he had that sword.

"Run!" he shouted, swinging again to clear a path in the horde. He looked back to make sure Hikaru was following him, but she had completely frozen, her hands covering her mouth and her legs locked in place. Sora backpedaled, grabbing her by the arm and pulling hard. He yanked her off her feet, but they had no time—he dragged her down the beach with one hand, swinging at the creatures with the other.

_The cove_, he thought, running for the strip of beach that passed under the bridge. But a flash of movement made him look up, and he saw the yellow glow of the creatures' eyes as they dropped from the platform above. "Oh, no!" Sora skidded to a halt. The creatures crawled towards them on both sides, closing in fast. He looked around frantically before changing direction, pulling Hikaru towards the abandoned shack.

He kicked open the door, shoving Hikaru inside and slamming the way shut behind them. For a few moments he stood there, back pressed up against the door, straining his ears for any sound above the pounding rain. When nothing happened—no pounding for a way inside, no creatures crawling from the ground—he slid down to the floor, gasping for air as water dripped from his hair and clothes. _What… What were those things?_

"I… don't remember completely," he heard Hikaru's quiet voice come from the other side of the shack. The only light came from the flashlight held tight in Hikaru's shaky grasp, and the faint glow of the night that filtered in through the cracks in the walls. He saw her crouched over by the stairs, the dim light casting shadows over her face. Another rumble of thunder made her squeeze her eyes shut, and she didn't speak until a few seconds had passed. "I think… I saw those things before I wound up here," she said, her voice trembling. "Everything's… just a mess. I can't remember… But I can feel it."

"… I've seen them too," Sora said. The memory came slowly, rising to the surface—a memory of stained glass platforms and a giant shadowy monster. And a voice that spoke about a door. "It was just a weird dream, but I recognize them." He shook his head and stood up. "We have to go find Kairi and Riku. They could be in danger with those things running around."

But another lightning strike lit up the sky and spilled through the gaps in the ceiling, followed by a clap of thunder. Hikaru gripped at her head, ducking low and hiding her face in her arms. She didn't budge from her spot.

Sora realized that this wasn't going to work.

He scratched his head, glancing around the shack. There were still a few things lying around—stashes of extra clothes, deflated blitzballs, and the metal grill from lunch—but no wooden swords, no baseball bats, not even a spare jump rope. The only thing that caught his eye was a crooked hiking stick propped up in the corner of the cramped room.

"Here," he said, grabbing the stick and holding it out for Hikaru to take. "Hold onto this in case those monsters come in. I'm going to check the sea stack. I'll be right back, okay?"

Hikaru looked up at him, her eyes glossy and hollow. Still, she slowly lifted her hand, taking the stick and drawing it close to her body. "Okay," she said.

Sora nodded. "Call if you need help," he said. He propped his sword over his shoulder, heading past her up the stairs as he tried to shake off the feeling of guilt that trailed in his footsteps.

* * *

Monsters. Monsters with yellow eyes. And thunder, crashing and shrieking, like the world was falling apart. People screaming—screaming her name, screaming at her to move, but her body wouldn't move, couldn't move.

The wind and the rain hammered the tiny shelter, cold and unyielding. Water trickled through the cracks in the walls and the roof, pooling on the ground at Hikaru's feet. She sat there in the dark, trying to drown out the sound of the storm with her fingertips, with only a dying flashlight to keep her company. And everything else in her own muddled, incoherent head.

_It was raining_, she thought, grasping at the images that flashed behind her eyes._ No, not raining. It was snowing—it always snows in Hart's Haven. But the snow was going up_.

Thunder boomed overhead, striking her down to the core. Hikaru tightened her hold over her ears, but it couldn't stop the way her body shook, how her insides rattled around and the ground seemed to rumble under her motionless feet.

She didn't know what was happening. Everything was a blur—the lights, the darkness, the noise. The squeezing in her chest robbed the air from her lungs, and she buckled over as if curling up into a ball could make her heart stop pounding, her head stop spinning, and her stomach stop forcing the food back up her throat.

Was she dying?

_Aki_, she thought, her face hot and wet as she struggled to breathe. _Yui. Mam. Dad_.

She had been in the deer park. Her, and Aki, and Tats. It had been cold and bright, a sidewalk crowded with people. She could smell the hotcakes, and it made her feel sick. They had gone to see the tree. But someone had already been there.

Yui. And another woman. She had been familiar, but Hikaru couldn't remember. And then they left, and everything went wrong, so wrong. Red sky, thunder, shaking, screaming, things that shouldn't have been happening, things that _couldn't_ have been happening, things that—

The whole shack trembled, raining dust and icy droplets down as the thunder roared. Hikaru choked back a sob, squeezing her eyes shut and praying—praying to the Astrals, praying to the stars—that this would all end, that the world would go silent and the night would go dark, and all the images flooding out of her head would disappear.

_Someone… help me…_ she thought, forcing open her eyes.

She stopped breathing.

They were there. All around her. On the floor. On the ceiling. In the darkest corners of the room. A void of swirling blackness had opened up, and from it came the wicked movements, the twisted shapes, the glowing eyes.

Hikaru's hands shook as she clutched her walking staff, so tight she swore the wood was about to splinter beneath her fingers. _No… No…!_

_Not again!_

She bolted, her arms and legs moving faster than they ever had before. She scrambled up the stairs, slipping on the water, stumbling over the rotting wood. Her hands went out as she fell, her palms scraping against the ground as her walking staff clattered against the steps beside her. She rolled over, grabbing her staff and swinging blindly, slamming the nearest monster against the wall.

"GET AWAY!" she screamed, her voice ripping through her throat. The monsters clawed their way up the stairs toward her, and she kicked out, her shoe colliding with a head that gave away like wet sand on impact.

The ground below her shifted. Her eyes widened, and she felt her elbows sink through the wooden steps. "H-huh?!" She looked around, a sharp twisting coming at her chest as she watched the bubbling pool of shadows open up beneath her. She pulled at her arm, struggling against the darkness, but it clung to her like tar, tightening its hold on her and drawing her further down into the abyss as she struggled to break free.

_Sora… Kairi… Riku…_

The yellow-eyed monsters closed in. Hikaru stared for just one moment as they crawled across the ground, reaching for her with their massive claws.

She shoved herself backwards and plummeted straight through the darkness.

* * *

_She was fourteen. Fourteen-years-old in this miserable world where the sun never shined and the inescapable dampness permeated every corner of the city. They had lived there in that flat for nearly a year, with a window that faced the massive cathedral sitting above the rest of the world. The cathedral that watched over everything like the stars of the Ursid Sea._

_She missed those stars. She missed the night sky. She missed seeing the lights and colors, the reminder that those places existed, that the universe wasn't just rain and cold and the hollow feeling in her chest. But here, wrapped up in the suffocating hold of the gray clouds, it felt like nothing else even mattered._

_A cough came from the other room, harsh and wheezing. "Alright," she heard Akihiko's soothing voice travel down the hall. "Just a little bit more. Almost there."_

_The coughing came again, echoing through the quiet flat, and Hikaru swallowed the lump in her throat without tearing her eyes away from the window. It was a sound that had become familiar, almost as familiar as the unending drum of rain and the thunder that may have well been the gods traveling across the sky. She wished she'd never had to hear it in her life._

"_Hikaru…"_

_In the reflection of the window, half-seen through the rain-streaked glass and the sharp blinking lights of the street below, she saw a shape approach her from the hall._

_She turned, glancing over her shoulder. Tatsuya stood there, bleary-eyed, holding onto that tablet Mam and Dad had gotten him for his Christmas. He looked tired—too tired, as tired as they all were. "Yeah?" she asked, softly to not disturb their mother who had spent the last eighteen hours sleeping on the couch._

_Tatsuya said nothing. He sat down at the window beside her, leaning against the wall and putting a fair space between them. For a long while, the only sounds came from the rain and the clock and the wheezy breaths drifting out of their parents' bedroom._

"_I'm hungry," he finally said._

"_Me too," she replied, tapping her fingers against her knees._

"_I don't like this," Tatsuya added. He clutched at his tablet with scarred and calloused hands, shaking his head. "I don't like it."_

_Hikaru pressed her lips into a tight line. "… Me too," she muttered, looking out the window to the cars splashing through the water in the street and the people hidden away under their dull black umbrellas. Outside, it poured, and it would never stop pouring._

_She stood up. Patted her pockets for her wallet. Grabbed her raincoat from the chair. Tatsuya watched her silently, a question in his exhausted eyes._

"_Let's get something to eat," she said, her voice quiet and flat._

_Anything to get out of this house._

* * *

It was that dream again.

The blizzard howled around her over the frozen lake, a bitter, inescapable cold that blotted out the world in violent wind and endless snow. Hikaru squinted, pulling her ratty old coat close to her body. She was barefoot and gloveless, and beneath her coat—this coat, this old coat that she hadn't seen in years, that she had lost when she was ten and reckless—she wore only a shirt and shorts that had been soaked by the rain.

There was someone in front of her again. The same person, she knew, huddled under a heavy overcoat, a silhouette moving through the blizzard. The person was walking away.

"H-hey!" Hikaru called out between her chattering teeth. Ice crystals were forming at the corner of her eyes, and she could feel her fingers going numb. "Wait!"

The person in the overcoat paused. Slowly, they turned around, hands tucked away in their pockets as the wind whipped at their dark hair. Through the snow and the blinding wind, Hikaru struggled to glimpse the person's face.

And then she saw her burning green eyes.

"Keep moving," Yui said, her voice rising up over the raging storm. Below her feet, the ice began to crack. "We can't stop here."

* * *

Hikaru woke up.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading.


	6. Traverse Town

4/6/19: Hi guys! Welcome to the next chapter of Re-sketch. Today we dive right into the thick of things. What sort of surprises do we have in store? Well, only one way to find out.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

He awoke to the roar of a waterfall and the spray of icy mist. Pain pulsed in the side of his head, and his whole body ached, but Riku slowly pushed himself off of the hard earth, rubbing his head and looking at his surroundings.

His eyes widened. _What the…?_ A massive castle—bigger than any building he had ever seen—towered above him like a twisted mountain of copper and iron clawing for the sky. Every spire and tower and pipe of the castle gleamed in the orange glow of the daylight, but whether it was sunrise or sunset, Riku couldn't tell.

Slowly, he dropped his gaze. All around him was a cold world of blue. He stood on a floating fragment of land settled in the basin of what he assumed was a massive waterfall hidden in the shadow of the castle. But he looked around at the surging wall of water that surrounded him, and something didn't seem quite right.

He realized a moment later that the water was _rising_, not falling.

_Where… Where am I?_ He stepped back, looking around with a wide-eyed gleam. This was unbelievable. It was like nothing that he'd ever seen before. "I did it," he said, a smile breaking across his face. He was free.

Something solid scraped against the ground under his foot. He looked down, catching the glint of something silver half-buried in the wet dirt.

He lifted the broken pocket watch off of the ground, letting it dangle in the light.

"Wait… This is…" _Hikaru's?_ No, that wasn't right. It looked the same—the same design, the same star-shaped engraving—but the stone set into the center of this watch was blue, not red.

Memories came rushing back. The island. The storm. The yellow-eyed creatures. He looked around again at the rising falls, at the broken earth, at the looming castle, all while the pocket watch ticked feebly in his hand.

He was alone.

"Sora! Kairi! Hikaru!" he shouted, frantic now, his voice swallowed by the falls.

He didn't realize that he was being watched.

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 6: Traverse Town

First came consciousness. Then came the pain.

Hikaru moaned, her eyes flickering open. The bright lights around her stung, making her head throb in a way she'd never felt before. Everything seemed crooked, like the world had been tipped on its side. Her cheek was pressed flat against the cold cobblestone. She tasted the salty-iron tang of blood in her mouth—a split lip, a bit tongue, and a clicking jaw—and slowly lifted her head, struggling to carry her own weight. With an immense amount of effort, she pushed herself up, one arm at a time, and wiped the blood from her mouth.

_Where… am…?_

She looked around slowly. Something wasn't right. The bricks didn't match. Nor did the compact alleyways, or the crooked lampposts, or the lattice windows lit with a warm yellow glow. Or the faint haze hanging in the night sky that made the fleeting stars shimmer. She squinted, lifting a hand to her aching head as she scanned the empty plaza.

This… didn't look like the Destiny Islands.

She rose to her feet. Staggered. Felt her legs quaking at the knees. A big crooked stick on the ground caught her eye—familiar, she thought, before she remembered it was hers—and she reached down to pick it up… only to promptly lose her balance and nearly fall face-first into the ground.

She stood up again, teetering a little on her unsteady legs and leaning against her walking staff as her entire body wobbled. Looking around, she spotted a set of doors further down the plaza, just past an open seating area with tables and chairs. The doors opened up with a pleasant chime, and out walked a pair of…

Hikaru squinted again. _Is that… a duck?_

"So, where d'ya suppose we'll find this Leon person?" the taller of the two, a dog dressed in green, asked.

"Who knows?" said the shorter one, the duck, as they turned up the stairs. "We'll search the whole town if we have to."

Hikaru watched them until they were out of sight, and when they were gone, she looked back to the doors they had come from. There was a sign above the entrance, but as she stared at it, reading the words, she couldn't quite understand what it said.

_I… Item… Shop._

Items. Items were good. Generally speaking.

She started forward, sluggishly making her way across the plaza with her feet dragging across the ground. When she reached the doors, she groped for the handle, fumbling to make sense of which way to turn the knob until she realized there was no knob and all she needed to do was push.

A bell rang above her head. "Welcome!" a cheerful voice called out. "Come on in!"

It was spacious inside the store. Shelves lined almost every wall, packed tight with all sorts of colorful items, and here and there were other objects that Hikaru didn't recognize. Or at least, she was pretty sure she didn't recognize. There was only one person browsing the shop—a woman with short silver hair and her back to the door. Hikaru paid her no mind, instead turning to the figure in red sitting behind the cash register.

A few seconds passed before she realize that it was another duck.

Someone peaked out from behind a stack of cardboard boxes. It was a duck wearing blue. "How can we help you?" he asked.

"She looks hurt," a third duck wearing green said, looking up from the clipboard he carried in his wings. "Are you okay, Miss?"

"Uh…" Hikaru blinked several times. Splotchy lights floated before her eyes as her heart pounded in her ears. Her stomach began to churn. Suddenly her mouth was feeling very wet.

And then she heard a familiar voice that was nothing more than a startled whisper. "Hikaru?"

She turned, looking to the silver-haired woman who stared at her with wide eyes. It took Hikaru a moment to recognize her. "Oh, hello Mrs. Estheim," she slurred as the world tipped.

Then she promptly threw up and collapsed on the floor.

* * *

Hikaru wasn't sure how much time passed before she woke up again. What brought her back was a warmth that seeped into her body and soothed the ache in her soul, and the soft, fragrant smell of tea. Slowly she opened her eyes, and for a moment saw nothing but dark shapes in the low orange glow that splashed against the ceiling. A room, she realized, dark and dusty and quiet, where the only constant noise came from the ticking of a clock somewhere on the wall.

"How are you feeling?" a gentle voice asked.

Hikaru turned her head. A woman was standing at a table in the corner of the room, pouring a kettle of hot water. She wore a pink dress, and her brown hair had been tied into a long braid with a red ribbon. She glanced over her shoulder to Hikaru, a calm concern in her eyes.

"I'm… I'm okay," Hikaru said, giving herself a few moments to test her muscles and limbs. "Huh." She lifted her hands and looked at her scraped palms. It didn't hurt anymore. Nothing hurt, really.

"I'm glad," the woman said, offering a small smile. "I was worried a Cure spell wouldn't be enough. Here." She moved to the bed, holding out a steaming mug of something that wasn't quite tea. "It's a potion. It'll help you keep your energy."

Hikaru sat up and took it with a soft "thank you." The heat of the mug seeped into her fingertips, and a rich honey-sweet smell wafted off of the surface of the thick liquid within. But she didn't drink it. "Where am I?" she asked, glancing around. Beyond the room's lone window, she could see stars in the night sky. "How did I get here?"

"You collapsed in the Item Shop," the woman said. "They called me to check on you. My name is Aerith. And you're Hikaru, right?"

Hikaru blinked. "How do you…?" she started to say, but she figured out the answer before she even finished. "Mrs. Estheim." She had thought it was just a dream, wandering into that Item Shop with hardly a clue as to which ways were up and down. Everything seemed so foggy, thinking back, but no. She remembered that woman from her family's countless visits to Hart's Haven. Mrs. Estheim—Uncle James's neighbor—had really been there.

The thought made her heart race. _Then… maybe everyone else might be…?_

"We brought you to her apartment after your collapsed," Aerith said. "It looks like you've taken quite the beating. Do you remember what happened?"

"I was… on the island," Hikaru said. "There were these monsters… These shadowy things with big yellow eyes…" Rising from the ground. Crawling. Clawing. She stifled a shudder, rubbing away the goosebumps that spread across her skin.

"Those creatures are called the Heartless," Aerith said. She settled down on a chair that was positioned next to the bed, folding her hands on her lap. "They feed off of the darkness in people's hearts, bringing destruction wherever they go."

"They attacked me," Hikaru muttered. The images came back to her, images of scrambling through the old abandoned shack, like frames frozen in strikes of lightning. "On the Destiny Islands… And in Hart's Haven too."

Aerith gave her a particular look. "You and Mrs. Estheim are from the same world, right?"

"Yeah…" Hikaru dropped her gaze to her cup. The green-tinged liquid gleamed in the low light. "I was on Polaris… Then things happened, and it was like the end of the world. I woke up on the Destiny Islands afterwards, but… I think the same thing happened there too. Like a giant storm." She tightened her grasp on her cup. _Sora. Kairi. Riku. Everyone…_ "I'm on another world again, aren't I?" she asked, looking up at Aerith, her eyes beginning to burn.

"Yes." Aerith's brows creased with a sympathetic look that just made Hikaru feel pitiful and small. "This world is called Traverse Town—it's a refuge for people who have lost their homes to the Heartless."

"Lost their homes," Hikaru repeated quietly. She waited for the words to hit her—to feel the shock and the horror of everything she had seen. But she was too tired to feel much now. She already knew. The deer park. The snowy valleys. The sprawling beaches and the endless blue sea. "It's all gone."

"I'm sorry," Aerith said. She reached over, resting one hand on Hikaru's shoulder while the other gestured to the mug. "Drink," she said. "It'll help, I promise."

_Nothing is going to help_, Hikaru thought hollowly. Still she obliged, lifting the mug to her lips and inhaling the dense, herby smell before taking a sip.

It was warm, sweet, a little spicy, and as thick as cream. Something about it reminded her of apple cider, that strong sweetness mixed with cinnamon or some other autumnal spice. The warmth washed over her skin, seeping into her muscles and bones and spreading all the way down to her toes.

_It's like… Christmas by the fireplace_. Hikaru didn't know whether she was supposed to laugh or cry.

"Did you… find anyone else?" she asked, though she knew the answer already. "My… My friends from the island…"

Aerith shook her head. "I'm afraid no one else was with you."

_Right_. Hikaru sniffled, wiping her nose and blinking back the prickling sensation in her eyes.

It was then that a quiet knock came at the door, making both Hikaru and Aerith look up. Slowly the door opened, just a few inches, before the silver-haired woman on the other side shouldered it all the way. Mrs. Estheim stepped into the room, carrying a tray with a bowl of clear broth and white rice.

"Oh, good," she said, looking especially exhausted as she looked at Hikaru. "You're awake."

Nora Estheim. It had been months since Hikaru had seen her last—not since the funeral back during the summer. Hikaru had known Mrs. Estheim and her son Hope since childhood; they lived just down the street from Uncle James, and once upon a time when Hikaru was probably only four or five, she used to go to their house with Akihiko to play. But that was back before her family had started traveling so much.

_She made the best almond cookies_, Hikaru thought. _Even Yui loved them_.

"You must be hungry. I made some food," Mrs. Estheim said, walking over and setting the tray on the bedside desk. "Just something light in case your stomach still isn't doing well."

"I threw up, didn't I?" Hikaru asked, wincing a little at that hazy memory.

"All over the shop floor." The tiniest trace of a smile tugged at Mrs. Estheim's lips. "You never did have the strongest stomach as a kid. Neither did Hope, but I think you managed to one-up him a few times."

"Will you two be alright, then?" Aerith asked. "I still have a few other patients left to check in on."

"We'll be fine, Aerith," Mrs. Estheim said, bowing her head. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. I'll send over a gift for you and your friends later."

"Oh, there's no need, really," Aerith said, waving her hands as she stood up. "I'm more than happy to help. Rest well, Hikaru," she added, offering her one last warm smile. "I'll check in again soon."

She departed, closing the door behind her with a careful click as her retreating footsteps faded away. The clock on the wall continued to tick, filling the momentary silence. Then Mrs. Estheim moved forward, sitting down on the vacant chair left by Aerith. "I'm glad you're okay, Hikaru," she said. "James will be relieved."

"Uncle James?" Hikaru's head shot up. "He's here?"

"Yes. We arrived at the same time, after…" Mrs. Estheim paused. "After what happened to the town."

Hikaru almost didn't hear that last part. Her heartrate had never spiked so quickly. Something rose up inside of her, a lightness in her chest, an untwisting of the knot in her stomach. "What about Aki? And my mam? And…"

But the look on Mrs. Estheim's face made her heart sink. "We haven't found anyone else," Mrs. Estheim said.

"O-oh…" Hikaru felt her grip loosen on her mug for just a moment. It was fine. Fine, she told herself. Uncle James was here at least. Her family had probably ended up elsewhere, like she had. Maybe they would show up eventually too. _I didn't end up here. Not at first. So maybe they're somewhere else too_.

"Then I suppose you haven't seen Hope, have you?" Mrs. Estheim asked. "Or my husband?"

Hikaru's eyes widened. "Hope?" she repeated. "He's… not here with you?"

Mrs. Estheim shook her head. "We were separated in the storm."

"I… I'm sorry," Hikaru said. "I haven't seen anyone."

"It's okay." Mrs. Estheim smiled, but Hikaru could see the light dim in her eyes. "He's out there somewhere. I'm sure. Maybe he found a way to his father. Don't you worry your head about it, alright?"

Hikaru didn't know what to say. She hadn't really spoken to Hope in anything more than brief and impersonal conversation—not in a long time. _"I'm sorry about your dad,"_ she remembered him saying that last rainy summer, when he had been hiding under an umbrella and looking awkward and uncomfortable in formal attire. Hikaru couldn't even recall what she'd said back to him—just mumbled something incoherent, probably. That had been the last time she'd seen him.

Mrs. Estheim cleared her throat. "Well… I'll go find your uncle, then," a cheerful note brightening her voice. She rose to her feet. "I won't be gone long. Will you be alright on your own for a while?"

"Y-yeah," Hikaru said. "I'll be fine." She lowered her gaze, bringing the potion to her mouth and forcing herself to take another sip, just to hide her face.

Something patted the top of her head. She blinked, looking up as Mrs. Estheim stroked her hair. "At least someone made it out okay," she said with a sad smile. Then she walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry," Hikaru whispered after her. But by then the door was already shut.

* * *

Sora was not having much luck. He'd always thought that when he finally had the chance to explore a new world, it would be with his friends. That they would be traveling together, trying the food, meeting the locals, and having a blast seeing all the new sights. But here he was, alone in this place called Traverse Town, wandering the deserted districts without a clue in the world.

_Kairi_, he thought glumly, pausing as the giant wooden doors closed shut behind him. _Riku_. He hadn't seen any sign of them or Hikaru in the Second District.

The thought made his stomach twist. _I… I shouldn't have left her alone_. Hikaru had been a wreck the last time he'd seen her. "I'll be right back," he had told her, leaving her behind in that shack. But things… things had gone so wrong so fast. He could hardly make sense of any of it.

Riku vanishing into darkness—into the same liquid shadows that had tried to pull Sora down, though he'd managed to escape. And Kairi… He couldn't get that ghastly, empty look in her eyes out of his mind. A gut feeling had called him towards the innermost part of the island. He'd found Kairi in the secret place, but when that door in the cavern had swung open and he'd moved to catch her…

She'd just disappeared.

Then that massive creature appeared, the creature from his dream, with tendrils of dark hair wrapped around its face and a gaping heart-shaped hole ripped into its chest. Somehow he'd managed to fend it off until the world fell apart under him and he was sucked up into that giant gash in the sky. But all things considered, he was in good shape.

_Thanks to this thing_. He looked down at the strange weapon clutched in his hand. It looked like a cross between a key and a sword, with a silver blade and a hilt colored gold. Where it had come from, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to call himself ungrateful. Not when it sliced so easily through those yellow-eyed creatures that seemed to rise out of every empty shadow and corner in this quiet town.

He hoped that his friends were alright. They probably were—he couldn't imagine them being anything less than alright if he'd turned out fine. Maybe he just needed to check some other part of the town._ I guess I'll see that guy in the Accessory Shop again_. He'd probably have some more advice, right? Or at least, it would be someone for Sora to talk to. The loneliness was starting to sink in, and even that dog that had woken him up had disappeared somewhere.

Sora propped his giant key over his shoulder and continued walking, heading back into the town's First District.

And then he heard a voice calling from somewhere above. "Sora?"

* * *

Inside that stuffy room, it was becoming harder to breathe. Hikaru had to open the window, hobbling over on legs made of jelly and grabbing her walking staff from the floor for more support. With some effort, she managed to unlock the latch and shove open the heavy glass.

A cool breeze blew into the room, rustling the curtains and the old papers left scattered around on the desks. Hikaru leaned out, taking a deep breath as she rested her arms on the sill and began eating the food Mrs. Estheim had left her.

She was on the second floor by the looks of it, in a lopsided building that looked like every other built along the narrow street. Crooked chimneys smoked at the tops of the brown shingled roofs, and electricity hummed in the powerlines strung back and forth above the street. A smell wafted through the calm air, sweet like baked bread and savory like melted cheese. It didn't make her hungry, but it did make the broth and rice taste a little bland in comparison.

_And there's the plaza_, she thought, looking past the buildings and catching a glimpse of the open square and peculiarly twisted streetlamps. The flat wasn't far from where she'd woken up.

"What a mess," she muttered. But it wasn't all bad, at least. Despite everything else, a new lightness had entered her shoulders. After days of uncertainty, finally she had some answers. Finally she'd seen some sort of familiar face. Finally she felt relief.

But then she thought of Mrs. Estheim, and that lightness in her shoulders disappeared.

"What am I supposed to do?" Hikaru groaned, knocking her head against the windowsill and letting the dull pain radiate through her skull. She was just a kid. This wasn't supposed to happen to her. The only chance she'd had was the raft, and now even that was gone. All that hard work, and those short days spent on the beach, and the people she had met.

_I hope they're okay_, she thought, stirring the soggy rice around in her bowl and looking down at the streets.

Then she blinked, sitting up so abruptly that she nearly dropped her bowl out the window. "Sora?"

She recognized that head of spiky hair anywhere. The lone boy making his way down the street below her window looked up in confusion, but his eyes widened in an expression that matched her own. "Hikaru!" Sora said. "You're okay!"

That relief flooded through her again—true, bone-deep relief. Hikaru felt her legs buckle. "Hold on, I'll be right down!" She grabbed her walking staff and shoved away from the window, limping towards the door as fast as she could.

It took a few minutes, but she found her way outside after following the exit signs posted in the building's main hallway. Sora was waiting by the door, leaning against the brick wall and holding onto some sort of gold and silver key-shaped weapon.

"Oh, thank the Astrals." Hikaru staggered forward, throwing her free arm around Sora and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Er…" Sora scratched his head, just sort of standing there until Hikaru relinquished her hold on him and took a step back.

"I thought I was the only one here," she said, her voice catching as she rubbed her eyes. But she didn't cry—her tear ducts had become too dry for that. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay too," Sora said. "What were you doing up there?" He chucked his thumb in the direction of the open window above them.

"One of my uncle's neighbors found me." Hikaru started rolling on the balls of her feet, a strange giddiness taking over her body. "My uncle—he's here too," she added. And then she stopped as quickly as she'd started, her body going still, her smile slipping. "But no one else…"

"Your uncle?" Sora asked. "What's he doing here?"

"It's… a long story," Hikaru said. Too long. Not a story she wanted to tell now. There were more important things they needed to focus on. "Are Kairi and Riku with you? Or anyone else?"

Sora shook his head. "No. I was… sort of hoping they'd be with you."

And just like that, her relief was extinguished by just a few words. Sora kept a light expression, but she could hear the disappointment in his voice. "Damn," Hikaru muttered.

"Well, they're probably fine," he said. "They might be here too, so I was trying to find them. But there are all those monsters around…"

"Heartless," she said.

"Heartless?"

"That's what they're called, apparently. Something about darkness in people's hearts." To be honest, she didn't quite understand what Aerith had told her. The Heartless were dangerous; that was the most important thing Hikaru took away from that conversation, and it was something she had already gathered from unfortunate personal experience. Was it even safe to be out in the streets like this? The only thing she had to defend herself was a glorified walking stick—but recalling what had happened in the abandoned shack back on the islands, she realized it was better than nothing.

She glanced over at the strange weapon Sora had in his hand. "What is that thing?"

"This?" He held up the key. "I'm not really sure. It sort of just… appeared."

"Can I see?"

Sora handed it over, allowing Hikaru to give it a quick inspection. It was pretty light despite its size, though whether it was supposed to be a sword or a blunt weapon, she wasn't sure. If anything, it looked more like an oversized key.

That was all she managed to figure out. A moment later, the weapon vanished in a flash of light. Hikaru and Sora jumped back. "W-what the…?" Sora looked down as the weapon reappeared in his hand.

Hikaru tilted her head. "How'd you do that?"

"I… I don't know." He turned the weapon over. "It just—"

Something made him stop. Hikaru felt it too—a shudder that rushed down her spine, making her heart skip a beat. They both turned around as a row of swirling dark vortexes open up behind them. With the clank of metal against the cobblestone, five yellow-eyed creatures stepped out onto the empty street, surrounding them.

"Heartless?" Hikaru staggered back against the door, the blood draining from her face as she clutched her staff. But these things were different. Instead of antennas, they had helmets that rattled with every one of their twitching movements. The tips of their massive claws gleamed a dangerous red, and on each of their chests was a strange emblem shaped like a thorny black and red heart.

These creatures looked… almost like people.

Sora stepped forward without hesitation. "Hikaru, get back," he said, brandishing his weapon as he looked between the five creatures. "I'll hold them off!"

"Are you crazy, Sora?!" Hikaru said, her voice nearly cracking.

One of the creatures lunged. Sora swung, striking the creature in the head and cleaving straight through its helmet. Its entire body exploded in a burst of black and purple wisps, and from within emerged something red and glowing that floated into the air and disappeared above their heads.

Was… Was that a heart?

"Hikaru, watch out!"

She snapped back to the creatures just in time to see one leaping at her with its claws pulled back. She yelped, raising her staff in front of her and blocking the blow. The Heartless slammed into the staff, sending a shock down Hikaru's arms on impact. It reached out with its claws, slashing at the air just inches from her face. She shoved it back with all her might, knocking it to the ground and kicking it across the street as hard as she could.

Another of the creatures launched itself forward, aiming out with its leg. Sora swung again, his weapon colliding with the creature's boot with a heavy clash. The force of the impact threw Sora back, sending him crashing into Hikaru and knocking them both off their feet.

Sora's key went sliding across the ground out of reach. "Gah…!" He winced and rubbed his head.

Hikaru gripped her bruising arm, struggling to stand. She looked up at the sound of clanking metal as the remaining Heartless rushed forward with their claws outstretched, their sporadic movements and yellow eyes like something out of a living nightmare.

"Fire!" a gruff voice shouted.

A ball of fire exploded against a creature's head, sending all of the yellow-eyed monsters flying back in a blast of smoke and hot air. The smell of burning magic filled Hikaru's nose, clear and sharp like ozone. The Heartless skidded across the cobblestone street, bursting apart one-by-one into dark wisps until only a single helmeted monster remained.

That is, until it was struck through the chest by a giant throwing star. The last Heartless faded away like the rest of them, leaving the shuriken sticking out of the ground.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Hikaru and Sora looked up at the approaching footsteps to the two people making their way down the street. At the front was a woman with short dark hair and a yellow scarf wrapped around her neck; she walked with her heavily gloved hands propped on her hips and a curious glint in her brown eyes. Behind her followed a man in a black jacket, with cold eyes and a long scar cut across his face.

"Looks like we found it, Squall," the woman said, coming to a stop in front of Sora and Hikaru. But she wasn't looking at them. Her gaze was focused on the key-shaped blade lying idle on the ground.

"It's Leon," the man replied, slinging his sword over his back. "And it looks like things are worse than we thought." He glanced over to Hikaru and Sora with a grimace. "A lot worse."

* * *

A/N: So, we've arrived at our next stop in the story and met some interesting people, including a certain Final Fantasy character that wasn't present in the original game: Nora Estheim from Final Fantasy XIII. A different choice, perhaps, but one that I was excited to add. Overall, this chapter was an attempt to diverge slightly from the script of the games and make something a little new. How did it turn out?

Also, just as a small note, I made a slight edit to Chapter 1. Nothing super big, just cut a small scene that wasn't necessary to the story anymore.

Thank you everyone for your reviews last chapter, and all the chapters before! I'd like to give a special shoutout to BlissfulNightRain, Lunar Abyss, and Xxser3ndipityxX for their continued support of the project, but I'm thankful for everyone who's been following the story so far. And also another thank you to a certain Barrel Maker for listening to me ramble while I overwork my brain trying to plot this beast of a story. Y'all make my day.

If you liked this chapter, or the story as a whole so far, let me know with a review! Feedback is always super appreciated.

See you next time!


	7. The Guard Armor

4/14/19: Hello everyone, Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch. Last time we ran into a few interested faces. What'll we see this time? A quick thank you to everyone for the reviews last chapter! The support is greatly appreciated. :)

4/17/19 edit: I adjusted the POV of the last scene of this chapter, and switched some dialogue. It works a lot better this way, I think!

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 7: The Guard Armor

A cold wind blew along the rooftops, a place where the bright lights of Traverse Town couldn't reach. Within the cover of the shadows opened a swirling portal of darkness, and from the darkness rose a monstrous shape, nearly invisible as it stood silhouetted against the sky.

The silhouette broke apart. First went its arms, drifting off into the night with all the gleam of a predator's claws. Then went its feet, clanking heavily against the roof like the lumbering footsteps of a giant. That left only its body and the rusted helmet perched atop it as it looked over the sprawling town.

Something was here. Something it wanted. It could sense it. Smell it.

There was something it needed to destroy.

* * *

James Moore had been in this world for three days. Three days, he was certain, though it was difficult to keep track of time in a world where the vast sky that stretched over the winding streets and crooked buildings was always dark and starry. Even in Hart's Haven, the sun still shined for a few short hours in the dead of winter. Never-ending winter nights were something reserved only for the very fringes of Polaris, far beyond the cozy valley he called home.

A home that, as far as he knew, no longer existed.

He walked through the empty street, hands tucked away into the pockets of his coat. The Second District was quiet at this time of night, when most of the other refugees were either huddled away in their rooms or holed up in the First District restaurants for dinner. With those damn creatures running rampant, few people were willing to spend more time than absolutely necessary outside. But James was tired of sitting around in a miserably impersonal hotel room and waiting for nothing.

He stopped at the fountain. It was a quaint little thing right below the main walkway and the district doors, just a plain mosaic portrait and a decorative metal archway. There was another fountain in the Third District, he'd heard—bigger and flashier, with bright colors and neon lights—but he'd not gone wandering that far yet.

"The Second District is dangerous," that young man Leon had said the first night James had ended up in the town. "But the Third is worse. Better stay away from there unless you're prepared to fight the Heartless."

_Maybe picking a fight wouldn't be such a bad idea_, James thought, pulling a carton of cigarettes and a book of matches from his pocket. _Hah. Right. Lot of good that'll do me_. Maybe he should've taken up Luna's offer to teach him magic all those years back. In the long run it would've been cheaper than buying matches, anyway…

_Or I just might've ended up burning the whole house down_. It had almost happened once before—though not of his doing—one mishap years ago, back when Luna had still been keen on shaping both Akihiko and Hikaru to be her prodigies. At the time he'd been upset for more reasons than one, but looking back on it now, he could only chuckle.

"Damn," he muttered as he brought a cigarette to his mouth. A full house, and laughter, and spending one more night with his best friends and their unruly kids. What he wouldn't give to come home to that again.

He sat down at the edge of the fountain, blowing out a puff of smoke and flicking the ashes to the ground. His gaze traveled upward, past the closed shops and locked flats, until he was just watching the clock tower that stood above every other building in town. It was almost cathedral-like, he thought, with the arched stained-glass windows and pointed rooftops jutting out to the sky. But the insides were nothing of the sort. "Gizmo Shop" was what the people here called it—just the severely understaffed local radio station headquartered between the gears and cogs that turned the clock's crooked hands.

"I heard they're trying to contact their home worlds," Nora had told him yesterday. "Maybe you could put that radio tech experience to good use."

_Maybe_, James thought. But if what those kids said was true, then there'd be no world to contact in the first place. He just sat there and stared at the clock, and he caught himself wondering who else could have been looking at it too. The thought made him smile. _Looks like he's rubbed off on me_.

Liam had always been fond of clock towers. Hart's Haven had been too small to have one of its own, and according to him the airship station's clock had never counted for lack of size and grandeur. But James remembered what his best friend had said years ago, back when they were just students blundering their way through life: that there was something about the way any number of strangers could have been sharing a moment together, all just watching the time pass them by. James had called him a sentimental fool, and Liam had just laughed.

_No wonder you became a family man_, James mused, fighting back the sting in his eyes as he took another long drag. _Even if things didn't turn out all that great. Hope you aren't too upset with me. I know I promised to keep an eye on Luna and the kids after you passed, but nothing ever goes the way we plan, eh, Liam?_

"Um, excuse me."

James turned his head. He'd been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to hear the approaching footsteps until the two strangers were almost standing in front of him. _Refugees?_ he wondered.

No, not refugees. Not these two. They were dressed too nicely, in bright and clean fabrics with no rips or tears, and not a speck of dirt on their shoes, and they didn't have that look in their eyes—that forlorn and far-off stare of people who had lost everything.

"Sorry for botherin' ya," the taller one, a doggish looking man, said with a wave. "Would'ja happen to know if there's a feller named Leon around here?"

"I'd wager he's on patrol," James said. "Probably out around town somewhere."

"Bah, of course," the ruffled duck said, crossing his wings and grumbling. "Let's keep looking, Goofy."

"Coming, Donald!" the taller one called as the duck marched off down the street. But he stayed back a few moments, looking to James with a toothy smile. "Ahyuck, thanks for the help!"

James just nodded in response, watching the two strangers disappear further into the district.

_Times like these, we could all use some help_.

* * *

For a moment, the only sound in the First District came from the humming of the electrical wires overhead. Sora wasn't sure what was going on. He and Hikaru sat on the front steps of the building, nursing their scrapes and bruises. The man with the scar stood before them, saying nothing as he surveyed street, his hand still holding tight to the hilt of the heavy sword slung across his back. The woman, though, hummed cheerfully as she reached out to pull her throwing star from its spot embedded in the ground.

"Guess we got here just in time, huh?" she said, spinning the shuriken around and looking to Sora and Hikaru. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Sora said, crossing his arms and holding back the wince at the way his muscles ached with that particular movement. "We had it under control."

"Didn't look like it from where I was standing," the man replied, shooting him a sidelong glance out of the corner of his eye. "Cut the act. This isn't some kid's game."

Sora blinked. "Kid's game?" he said. No one said that it was. _What's this guy's problem?_ he thought, doing his best not to pout. Just because they'd helped him and Hikaru out of a tight spot didn't give him the right to act like a jerk. Sora had been just fine fending off those bug-eyed shadows while wandering the streets. He'd just been caught off guard by those helmeted Heartless is all.

Hikaru nudged him in the arm, though, with just a minute shake of her head. It made Sora frown. _What? He's the one who's being rude_.

"Thank you for helping us," Hikaru said, turning to the others and bobbing her head.

The dark-haired woman smiled. "Aw, no problem," she said. "No Heartless will cause trouble when the Great Ninja Yuffie is on the case!" She thumped herself in the chest with a fist before waltzing over to the spot where the giant key lay idle in the middle of the road. "Buuuut, can't say we aren't glad to see this thing. The key to solving all our problems—get it, Squall?"

"For the last time, Yuffie, call me Leon," the man replied, flat annoyance hanging onto his words even though his expression hardly changed. "And that's not going to work."

"Huh? What's not?" Yuffie asked as she crouched down and picked up the key.

Sora felt the pressure in his palm force open his fingers as the key vanished from Yuffie's grasp. A moment later, it reappeared in Sora's hand with a flash of light, making both him and Hikaru jerk back. It was just like what happened when Hikaru had grabbed it.

He wasn't sure he was ever going to get used to that.

"Ohh," Yuffie said, her dark eyes going wide. "I get it. So that's what they meant by 'the Keyblade chooses its wielder.' Ahh, tricky, tricky."

"The Keyblade?" Sora repeated, turning it over in his hand. It seemed to hum with some sort of energy—not a noise or a feeling, but rather something that resonated deep under Sora's skin. The weapon gave a faint flash, as if it were answering the call of its name.

"Yep! The legendary Keyblade. Someone told us it would be showing up here soon," Yuffie said cheerily.

"That's an appropriate name, at least," Hikaru said dryly.

Yuffie laughed. "It is, right?"

Leon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yuffie, focus," he said. He turned to look at Sora without bothering to hide the skepticism on his face. His grimace returned. "I can't believe the Keyblade chose some kid."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Sora asked, pouting for real this time.

"It means we're in for a rough time," Leon replied. He dropped his hand from his sword, crossing his arms instead. "I take it you've already realized the Heartless have been following you?"

That caught Sora off-guard. "Uh…" Were they following him? Well, he'd definitely had his run-ins with those yellow-eyed monsters during his aimless wandering. "Maybe? Wait, what are you even talking about?" he asked, shaking his head. He still had no idea what was going on. "What is a Keyblade anyway? And the Heartless? And… How did I even end up here in the first place?"

"Slow down, Spiky," Yuffie said, giving him a prod in the head with an outstretched finger. "One question at a time."

"The name's _Sora_," he said, ducking away from her hand and crossing his arms again. "Can you just tell us what's going on?"

"Hmp. Guess it wouldn't hurt." Leon matched Sora's defiant glare with an unfazed stare of his own. It was intimidating, Sora had to admit, but he wasn't about to show any fear. Leon leaned his back against the wall before speaking. "First off, let's just say that there are many worlds. Your home, this world—as many worlds as there are stars in the sky. The worlds are supposed to be separated from each other, but something's been happening. The Heartless just started showing up one day, like a plague."

"They're attracted to the darkness in a person's heart, like moths to a flame," Yuffie explained. She plopped down cross-legged on the ground next to Sora—a little too close for comfort, especially as she kept twirling her shuriken around. "They feed on that darkness and use it to multiply."

"And there's darkness within every heart," Leon said.

Hearts, darkness, worlds. "Okay…" Seemed like a lot to swallow, but Sora had just seen a swarm of shadowy monsters invade his island while both of his best friends disappeared before his very eyes. Nothing seemed very far-fetched at this point. "You following this?" he asked Hikaru, who listened quietly with a somber look on her face.

"I had the rundown earlier," she said with something like a grimace. Looking to Yuffie and Leon, she added, "This world is supposed to be where people who lost their homes wind up, right?"

"Right," Yuffie said. "We're not really sure why—guess it's just a special place. Lately it seems like every day we get a new refugee. We ended up here too after our world was swallowed by the darkness some… Wow, it's already been nine years, Leon."

"Mm…" That carefully cold expression on Leon's face faltered just for a few seconds as he lowered his gaze to the ground. It made Sora feel sort of bad. Sort of.

"What is the Keyblade, though?" Sora asked. "And why are the Heartless following me?"

"The Keyblade is a powerful weapon," Leon said. "We used to hear old stories about it, back when we were kids. It appears in times of need and chooses a hero to wield it. The Heartless seem to fear the Keyblade's power. That's why they'll keep coming after you—to eliminate what they see as their greatest threat."

"A threat?" But Sora didn't even really know what this thing was, much less how to slay monsters with it. He looked at the Keyblade with a frown. Even if having a better weapon than a wooden sword to deal with the Heartless was a comforting thought, he wasn't sure about having the Heartless come after him _because_ he had a weapon. Definitely what he would call a double-edged sword. Or key. "I didn't ask for any of this," he said.

"Doesn't matter. The Keyblade chose _you_ for its master," Yuffie said. "It's yours now."

"So, tough luck," Leon said.

Sora groaned, rubbing his head. This definitely was not the adventure he'd had in mind. Sure, he used to dream about fighting evil monsters and being a hero, but this… "How did all of this even happen?" he asked, a tightness squeezing at his throat. "What about my friends? And my island? You mean they're all just… gone?"

There was a pause. Leon took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "That, we can't know for sure."

"Hey, your friends could've gotten out too," Yuffie said. She leaned forward to get a better look at Sora's downcast face and offered him a smile. "Most people end up here if they get caught up in a Heartless attack, but maybe they got lost en route or something. Don't let yourself get too down, okay?"

"Yeah." Hikaru nodded. "I mean, I ended up on the Destiny Islands when my world…" She trailed off.

Sora sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right Hikaru," he said, resting the back of his head against the door. Part of him just wanted to shut his eyes and sleep for a long, long time. Sleep away his troubles like those days on the beach, without a care in the world. But lazing around was out of the question when he had to look for Kairi and Riku.

_I saw them_, he thought as he looked up at the stars. _I know I did. They're somewhere out there_.

A moment passed in silence. Further past the buildings, a small group of people made their way across the plaza, laughing and chatting and completely oblivious to the mood hanging over the quiet street. It was the first time Sora had seen anyone just wandering around since he'd started searching.

"So we have the Keyblade wielder with us…" Yuffie rubbed her chin. "What now?"

"Good question," Leon said. "Well… First things first, we should meet with the others and fill them in on the situation."

"Oh, yes," Yuffie said, springing to her feet in one fluid motion. "And it's just in time for dinner! What should we have? Café Crossing? I could use a good pastrami sandwich…"

"Only if you're paying this time," Leon said. "Get Aerith, will you? I'll find us a big enough table."

Yuffie saluted. "I'll be back in a flash!" she said before scampering off down the street towards the Second District doors and disappearing around the corner.

That left Sora and Hikaru sitting on the steps with only Mr. Grumpy to keep them company. Sora made it a point not to pay Leon too much attention as the man glanced over at them. Instead, he turned to Hikaru. "Sorry for knocking you over," he said. "You okay?"

"Wasn't your fault. And I've been through worse," she said, rubbing the back of her neck.

That was good, at least. All things considered, Hikaru did look a lot better than the last time Sora had seen her. _Which was when I left her in the shack_, he recalled, his stomach doing an uncomfortable twist. Oh, yeah, she definitely seemed to be doing better, even if they were a little beaten up from the previous battle.

"Here," Leon said, making them look up. He pushed away from the wall, walking over to them and handing Sora something small and yellow.

It was some sort of candy—or at least, that's what it seemed like to Sora. It was only about the size of a coin and quite solid, if a little brittle under his fingertips. "What is this?"

"It's an elixir," Leon said. "Split it, both of you. It'll help."

Sora hesitated, a little stunned by surprise before he managed a nod. He and Hikaru snapped the elixir in two with some effort, taking one half each and popping the candy into their mouths. It crunched between Sora's teeth, almost melting on his tongue and flooding his jaw with a tingling warmth that quickly spread through his body and chased away the aches and fatigue.

"It's like a potion," Hikaru said. "But there's something else too." She looked down at her hands, curling and uncurling her fingers.

"Thanks," Sora said, looking to Leon.

Leon crossed his arms again. "Don't mention it," he said. Maybe it was just Sora's imagination, but suddenly he seemed a little less prickly. "We should get moving soon before the Heartless come back and—"

He was interrupted by a scream. Hikaru and Leon jerked to attention as Sora spun around, facing the plaza, his eyes going wide as he saw people running in the distance. "What was that?"

"Trouble," Leon said, grabbing his sword. "Looks like I spoke too soon. You two stay here!" he added, breaking into a run.

But he slid to a stop when something strange came into view around the corner of the building. Sora's eyes narrowed. "What…?"

"What the hell?" Hikaru said, stepping back.

It looked like a pair of gauntlets. The purple and black pieces of armor floated down the street, absent of any sort of body as they swayed back and forth, drawing their clawed fingertips through the building walls and leaving deep gouges in the brick. They seemed to twitch sporadically, like puppets pulled by invisible strings.

And then they stopped and pointed, aiming a razor-sharp finger directly at Sora.

_Uh-oh_.

The gauntlets rushed forward, one of them reaching out to grab while the other rose up into the air with its fingers splayed for a downward slam. Sora only had time to raise the Keyblade to block.

But there was a flash of steel. Leon swung, knocking the gauntlets back with the clang of metal against metal. He moved to stand between them and Sora, readying his sword with both hands. "Find Yuffie and run!" he said, glancing over his shoulder to Sora and Hikaru. "I'll hold these things off!"

They didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

"Leon! Leon, are ya out here?"

The two travelers came to a stop, squinting in the blinking lights as they reached the railing that overlooked the empty square. It was an odd enclosed area located in a space between the buildings, where red banners hung on the walls and bright lights flashed with an almost blinding brightness compared to the warm glow of the rest of the town. A fountain stood in the corner of the square, as bold and bright as the whole of the district, though it seemed a little lonely all by itself in this big empty place.

"Leon?" Goofy called again, taking a sweep of the square. "Gawrsh, there's no one here either."

"Where could he be?" Donald asked with a huff, tapping a webbed foot impatiently against the concrete floor. "Doesn't he know we're supposed to meet him?"

"Maybe we should head back over to the Second District," Goofy said. "That man seemed to know him. Then maybe we can get something to eat while we wait. Ain't every day we get to visit another world."

Donald grumbled under his breath. "I am getting hungry," he admitted grudgingly. The two of them turned around, starting back for the Second District doors.

That is, until a giant black and purple chunk of plate armor came tumbling out of the sky.

"Oof!" Goofy hit the ground, knocked over by the force of the impact. He winced, rubbing the lump on his head. Then he blinked when he saw the armor slowly rise up off of the ground.

"WAAAAH!" Donald kicked out, his legs dangling from inside the hovering cuirass while one of his arms jutted out from the armor's neck and slapped the round helmet that had trapped his head. "Goofy, get me out of here!"

"Donald!" Goofy watched with wide eyes as the armor floated off through the doors with Donald's muffled shouts echoing within.

* * *

It was just the sound of their hurried footsteps and haggard breathing that bounced off the walls. The relentless clanking came from somewhere further above.

Hikaru and Sora ran as fast as they could down the street, hardly daring to cast more than a glance at the rooftops and the noise that chased them through the district doors. Hikaru couldn't tell what it was from below. Something heavy. Big. Not a thing she wanted to hear now—or ever.

Their path branched in two directions—one towards a set of stone stairs, the other to a long building bordering the walkway with flashing "Hotel" and "No Vacancy" signs hanging in the windows. For a moment they hesitated, looking to both sides of the walkway. Where was Yuffie? Leon had told them to find her, but Hikaru had a feeling they had bigger problems to deal with.

"This way," Sora finally decided, starting for the hotel.

_Clunk. Clunk. Clunk_.

The crash of metal slammed down hard in front of them, shaking the ground and cracking the cobblestone. Hikaru yelped, jumping back as Sora stumbled and landed on his butt. A pair of giant boots had fallen from above, the same dark shade as the gauntlets and just as bodiless. The boots remained motionless for just a few moments before they twitched, righting themselves with an unseen force and starting forward.

"Other way!" Sora scrambled back to his feet, running instead toward the stairs. Hikaru followed without hesitation, throwing a glance over her shoulder for only a moment to confirm the ridiculous fact that the ground-shaking footsteps were from the pair of disembodied boots stomping after them.

This… was not a good night.

"W-whoa!" Sora skidded to a stop as he turned down the stairs, so quickly that Hikaru didn't have a chance to slow down. She crashed into Sora's back, stumbling over her own feet and nearly falling down the steps. But a pair of hands reached out, catching her by the shoulders, and she realized there were people coming up the stairs in front of them.

"S-sorry," Sora said, pushing past them. Hikaru, however, could only stare.

"Uncle James?"

"Hikaru," Uncle James said, his eyes wide. Beside him was Mrs. Estheim, who looked just as surprised to see her outside of the flat.

For just a single moment, Hikaru felt a rush of relief. He was here. It was really Uncle James. After all that had happened these last few days, she had finally found someone.

And then that relief was gone. "Sorrygottago!" she exclaimed, running past them and jumping over the last steps. Her feet landed flat on the ground, sending a shockwave up her legs. She hurried through the fountain courtyard after Sora as the possessed boots leapt after them.

"Hikaru!" she heard Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim shout, but she didn't dare look back.

The boots landed in front of them again with a loud crash. Sora and Hikaru turned immediately down the nearest alleyway, but they didn't make more than a few steps before something else made them stop in their tracks. Another dark piece of armor, this one a solid cuirass and helmet with a thorny heart emblem on its chest, was slowly making its way towards them from the other end of the alley. But… something was different about this one.

"Let me go!" a muffled voice came from within the helmet. "Let me go, you rusted hunk of junk!" A sharp thumping clang came from inside the armor, and Hikaru realized the bit of white and yellow sticking out from inside the armor was an actual person.

"Uh-oh," Sora said beside her, raising his Keyblade as they stepped back. The two sets of armor pieces closed in on them, pushing them back into the open district courtyard at the bottom of the stairs. Hikaru clutched her staff close to her body as her eyes flickered between the boots and the chest plate.

"Sora!" Leon's voice rang out. Hikaru and Sora turned towards the First District doors just as the clawed gauntlets came soaring over the courtyard, charred and steaming. Leon ran through the doors after it with his sword slung over his shoulder. He stopped at the edge of the walkway and looked over the waist-high stone wall towards them.

And then another voice. "Donald! Hold on, Donald!" A dog dressed in green jogged through the alleyway, one hand holding down his hat while the other carried a round shield.

_What…?_ Hikaru looked around at the armor, at the dog, at Leon and Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim. _What is going on?_ she thought, glancing to Sora and his look of plain confusion.

In the end, it didn't matter. The floating armor pieces surrounded them as Hikaru and Sora stood back to back. There was nothing they could do.

Nothing except fight.

* * *

The boots were the first to move. The clanking footwear sprang up above their heads, aiming for the two of them as it tumbled down for a slam. Sora dove out of the way, hitting the ground hard on his shoulder, while Hikaru leapt back as the boots collapsed into a pile between them. Sora was back on his feet in a moment, though, raising the Keyblade over his head and taking aim at the boots.

Movement caught Hikaru's eye. She tightened her grip on her staff, and in a split second made the decision: she swung hard as the gauntlets rushed for Sora with their claws outstretched. The end of her staff collided with the gauntlets, knocking them back with a blow that echoed through her ears. _Got it!_ she thought, her eyes narrowing. She swung again, bringing her staff down and smashing the gauntlets into the pavement, just as Sora slammed the Keyblade down onto the boots.

Hikaru stepped back, her chest heaving. She raked the hair from her eyes and adjusted her hold on her staff as the adrenaline surged through her veins. All around her the lights seemed brighter, the shapes seemed sharper. Suddenly her body felt light, and she could hear her heart thrumming in her head.

"Gah!" Sora cried out, making Hikaru spin around. He tumbled back, clutching his stomach as the boots flipped around and stomped in anger.

"Sora!" she said.

"I'm fine," he managed to squeeze at through gritted teeth.

The cuirass moved next. It started forward, completely oblivious to the frantic shouting coming from within as it began to spin like a top. The cuirass skidded across the ground at high speed, going straight for Sora. Hikaru's eyes widened. Before she knew it, her legs were moving.

And then suddenly she was in front of him, her staff pulled back to strike as her body braced herself for impact.

Sora's eyes widened. "Hikaru, watch out—"

"Fire!" Leon shouted, shooting a fireball from his palm as he vaulted himself over the wall into the courtyard. The spell collided with the cuirass in a rush of hot air, knocking it to the wall before it fell to the ground with a clatter.

"WAAAH!" the flailing body inside shouted. "Hot! Hot!"

"Don't worry, Donald!" The dog ran over, grabbing the armored creature by the helmet and pulling with all his might. It seemed to work for a moment, more and more of that feathered body revealed as the helmet slowly pulled loose. But the cuirass sat up suddenly, and the dog's grip on the helmet slipped. "Oof!" He landed on his stomach on the ground.

"Agh!" The person inside the cuirass struggled to get his other arm free. "What's going on out there?!"

Leon sprinted across the courtyard, readying his sword as Hikaru's staff slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground. "You two okay?" he asked.

"F-fine," Hikaru said without turning her gaze away from the cuirass, her voice shaking as she staggered back. She wasn't sure what had happened, other than her life flashing before her eyes. All the feeling in her limbs seemed to pool at the tips of her fingers and toes, until her skin seemed to prickle.

"Yeah. Thanks," Sora said, staggering a little as Leon hauled him back to his feet. "There's someone stuck in there."

Leon frowned. "Well, that complicates things."

The boots and the gauntlets pulled away. They drew close to the cuirass, the gauntlets hovering at its side and flexing out their fingers, while the boots stomped at the ground beneath it. It wasn't just a bunch of floating pieces anymore. The giant suit of armor moved together like an actual body.

The actual body inside, on the other hand, wasn't very pleased.

"Someone get me out of here!"

Hikaru bent down, grabbing her staff from the ground. Her palms seemed to itch as her skin brushed against the rough bark. "I'm getting pretty damn tired of all these Heartless," she muttered.

"Then let's deal with this fast," Leon said. "Sora, mind helping out with that Keyblade?"

"Keyblade?" The dog shoved himself back off of the ground. He stood on the other side of the suit of armor, looking at Sora and his weapon with a curious expression.

"The Keyblade?!" The feathered body inside the armor began struggling with renewed effort. "You mean it's here?! Grr… THAT'S IT!" With a roar, he pulled his arm free and raised his hand to the sky. A short blue staff appeared in his grasp in a flash of light, crackling with a violent energy that made Hikaru step back. "THUNDER!"

A bolt of lightning slammed down, striking the suit of armor in the head. The body inside gave a cry of pain, but it stopped the armor in its tracks too. Electricity jumped across the dented and rusted metal. One by one, the armor's floating body parts exploded into smoke—first its hands, and then its feet, until the only thing left was the sparking torso that hung suspended in the air.

Silence fell over the entire district. Hikaru said nothing. Sora lowered his Keyblade, eyes wide. Even Leon seemed taken aback. They just stood there, staring at the smoldering wreck that floated in front of them and the weakly flailing body that struggled within.

_What in the…?_ Hikaru thought.

With a loud metallic thud, the cuirass dropped to the ground. "Donald!" The dog rushed forward, reaching into the cuirass and grabbing the yellow legs that were still kicking around inside. The feathered body's arms slid back into the armor, and with a hard pull, the person's head popped free of the helmet.

"Waaack!" The frazzled duck landed on the ground, a bit of smoke rising from his singed feathers. But he quickly shook his head, pushing himself back up to his feet. "Finally! Stupid rust bucket!" He gave the armor a hard kick that promptly had him holding his toes and hopping around in pain. "Ow, ow!"

For a few seconds, Hikaru could only watch. Then she realized she was laughing—a weak, tired, but utterly relieved laugh. The adrenaline was gone. She dropped her staff again, running a hand through her hair and pulling hard to get some semblance of feeling back in her body.

"What just happened?" Sora said.

Hikaru just shook her head in response, rubbing her face and giving another nerve-frayed chuckle.

_Gods, what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

A/N: And now the gang's all here.

This chapter was a bit of a toughie to write, but I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out: a bit of exposition, a bit of action. How did you like it? Feel free to drop a review. I'd love to hear what you think!

Thank you!


	8. The Easy Road

4/21/19: Hello, Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch! Last time, the paths of our protagonists finally crossed. Today, we'll see what that means, exactly, for the fate of this adventure.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 8: The Easy Road

The district had fallen quiet, aside from the uproar of angry quacking. The spell-slinging duck clutched at his stubbed toe, hopping around the armored creature's fallen body while his dog companion watched with a half-outstretched hand and an expression of hesitant concern.

Hikaru's chuckle faded away into something more solemn. Everything had happened so quickly. The fight with the giant suit of armor was just a rush of movement and a blur of color. The adrenaline had drained away, leaving an ashen color to her tawny complexion, but Hikaru could still hardly remember what had just happened—only the lingering sensation of her hands clutching her glorified stick, and the shudder that traveled up her arm as she swung. She had moved without thinking.

In the heat of the moment, she couldn't remember being scared. But what _had_ she been, then?

_That thing is finished, at least_, she thought, looking at the motionless cuirass lying on the ground. Her legs began to quake a little, and she crouched down to grab her staff. _Thank the Astrals_.

Despite the exhaustion that set into her muscles, her heart was still racing. She hadn't run that hard since before the summer, back when Mam had still been motivated enough to force her and the rest of her siblings to do their pre-sunrise jogs. Still, Hikaru wasn't entirely tired. As her body relaxed, a tingling sensation returned, pulsing under her skin and reaching all the way to her tips of her limbs like she had downed a liter of coffee. Whatever the candy that Leon had given her and Sora was, it worked wonders.

_Maybe too well_, she thought, massaging her prickly hands. Something about it felt… odd.

"Hey, you two," Leon said, drawing all attention to him. He crossed his arms as he looked to the duck and the dog. Both of them stopped where they stood examining the duck's foot. "Thanks for your help."

"Aw, it was nothin'," the dog said with a pleasant gap-toothed grin.

"Nothing?" the duck repeated, lowering his foot to the ground. "What do you mean, nothing? I was the one stuck in that tin can!" He looked ready to give the armor another good kick, but seemed to think better of it this time. "Aw, phooey…"

"If it wasn't for you guys, we would've been in some serious trouble," Leon said. "Or, well, more trouble than we already had." At that, he looked over to Sora, who was still holding onto his stomach where the armored Heartless had kicked him. "You alright, Sora?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine," he said. The Keyblade vanished from his grasp in a flash of light. Leon offered him a hand instead, which he took without hesitation. "Thanks, Leon."

"Leon?" The dog looked up. "Ahyuck, would'ja look at that? We found the Keyblade _and_ Leon. The King was right."

"Why couldn't we find them earlier?" the duck grumbled.

"You were looking for us?" Sora asked, pointing a finger at himself and then Leon, and earning a pair of nods in response.

"Today's full of surprises," Hikaru said dryly. She hoped there wasn't anything else unpleasant left waiting in the wing.

"Hikaru!" two voices called, accompanied by the rush of approaching footsteps.

_Oh, that's right!_ Hikaru's head jerked up. She turned to see Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim running towards them from across the courtyard.

Her excitement faltered, however, when she saw the look on her uncle's face. "Are you lot alright?" Uncle James asked, coming to a stop before them. Hikaru shrank back automatically. "What in Shiva's name were you thinking, Hikaru?" he said, his voice raised in a heated pitch. "First Nora tells me you're here, and then the next thing I know, I see you running off with a Heartless trailing after you?"

He was mad. She didn't even know the last time she'd seen him mad. The time she nearly burned down his study, maybe? He had been furious then—almost as furious as Mam.

Almost.

"I wasn't thinking," she said honestly, her voice dropping with her shoulders.

He stared at her for what felt like an eternity, even if in reality it was only a few short seconds. Hikaru waited, fidgeting with her hands and bracing herself for a shouting. "Well," he finally said, his expression softening somewhat, "I suppose that wouldn't be the first time, huh, kid?"

Relief flooded Hikaru's body, and she managed a laugh that sounded a little thick. Uncle James laughed too. "Sorry," Hikaru said. Maybe it was just the way her eyes began to sting, but suddenly she was conscious of everyone looking at her. She rubbed her eyes as casually as she could.

"I'm guessing this is one of your nieces, James?" Leon asked.

"She is. My best friend's youngest," Uncle James said. He reached out to sling an arm around Hikaru's shoulder, pulling her in for a half-hug.

"Formerly the youngest," Hikaru corrected. She still remembered being a little salty about it back then when Tatsuya had first joined the family. She grinned as Uncle James messed up her carroty hair.

There was a cough. "Ahem."

Everyone turned to the duck and the dog.

"This reunion is nice and all," the duck said, "but we still have some business to talk about."

"That's right," Leon said. "You must be the ones our contact mentioned. Let's discuss things in a safe place. Sora, Hikaru, you come too. James and Nora, you're free to join us—Yuffie wanted to eat at Café Crossing. Her treat."

"What a sweet girl," Mrs. Estheim said.

"I agree," Uncle James said. "I also think it would be rude to turn down that offer, so I would be pleased to tag along."

"Then let's go." Leon nodded his head towards the First District doors. Slowly, everyone started to make their way towards the stairs. Uncle James kept his arm over Hikaru's shoulder even as she trudged at the back of the group next to Sora and looked to him with a real grin.

But a scraping noise behind them made her heart skip a beat. Light flashed beside her as the Keyblade returned to Sora's hand, and they spun around just in time to see the scorched cuirass rising up above them. Hikaru didn't have time to react. Her eyes went wide, and something flooded through her body—something that wasn't just adrenaline.

A spark jumped in the palm of her hand.

_CLANG!_

Suddenly the cuirass was thrown back, slamming into the nearest building wall. The dog stood in front of her and Sora, wielding a round shield. "You two alright?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at them.

"Y-yeah," Sora said. "Thanks."

Hikaru stared at the armor, watching as it slowly dissolved into black smoke. Even when it was gone, her pulse still thrummed in her ears. _It wasn't dead_, she thought. She winced at the pain that stung in her palm. Looking down, she saw reddened skin, like the beginning of a burn.

The prickling in her fingertips had faded away, replaced by an old and familiar sensation that sparked at her blood—a sensation she hadn't felt since she was just a child—and the faintest smell of burning ether.

"Looks like it had a little bit of fight left in it," Leon said, more to himself than anyone else. "Should have figured as much when it didn't fade away…"

"Good job, Goofy," the duck said.

The dog scratched his head with a sheepish smile. "Aw, just doin' my job. Now let's get on outta here before more of them show up."

* * *

They found Yuffie and Aerith waiting in front of an open-air eatery in the First District. It was a small café not too far past the Item Shop, where the smell of garlic and cooking meats filled the quiet corner of the district. Outside, most of the candlelit tables were empty. Through the murky golden glass, they could glimpse the silhouettes of people moving around inside the restaurant. Café Crossing was the name etched into a wooden sign hanging above the door.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" Yuffie asked. "We having a party or something?"

"Hikaru? Nora? What are you doing here?" Aerith added.

"Long story," Leon said. "We'll talk once we start eating. Where's Cid?"

"In the Accessory Shop," Yuffie replied. "Couldn't find anyone to cover. We'll just fill him in later."

They all clustered together around three sets of tables under the shelter of the café's awning. A woman in a white apron came to hand out menus and glasses of water. Hikaru wasn't feeling all that hungry, but she ordered a plate of fish and chips—her favorite comfort food—anyway.

"Look, Hikaru," Uncle James said, glancing over his chair to a sign in the window. _Now Hiring: Musical Entertainment._ "Maybe you could make some extra munny. They have a piano inside, you know."

Hikaru cringed. "No, I'm… I'm good," she said.

"You play the piano?" Sora asked with just the faintest curiosity.

"Hardly," Hikaru replied. Ever since she'd broken her hand some three or four years ago, she'd avoided playing in front of other people. Only when there was no one else around to hear did she dare to sneak away to the keys, but even then she couldn't play for long before her hand began to cramp up. It was a painful reminder of her own shortcomings, and some very bad decisions.

"Well," Aerith said once the waitress had taken all of their orders, "while we wait for the food, why don't we start with some introductions?"

They began with the Traverse Town crew—Leon and Yuffie and Aerith—before moving on to Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim. Sora and Hikaru went next, which left the two odd strangers for last.

"The name's Goofy—captain of the guard," the dog said.

"And I'm Donald Duck—the King's court wizard," his companion added proudly.

"So you're the one the King told us about," Aerith said, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"You've seen him?" Donald asked, straightening up in his chair to get a better look over the table at her.

"Yes, he visited just a few days ago. He told us that someone with the Keyblade would be arriving soon."

"That would be me," Sora said, raising his hand. "Not that I asked for any of this to happen."

"Do ya happen to know where the King went?" Goofy asked, looking to Leon and the others. "He left without even sayin' goodbye."

Yuffie shook her head. "No idea," she said. "He said he had some things to investigate, and then he was gone."

"Oh…" Donald and Goofy both slumped in their chairs. But then Donald shook off the dejection from his feathers. "The important thing is we found the Key," he said, turning to Sora. "The King wanted to make sure we keep it safe."

"And then what?" Goofy asked.

"Well… Hm. Good question." Donald crossed his arms, tapping his fingers in consideration.

"Looks like you stumbled upon quite an interesting bunch, Hikaru," Uncle James remarked with a whisper as Donald and Goofy mulled over their options. "What have you been up to these past few days?"

"It's… complicated," Hikaru said. _Where do I even begin?_

"We found Hikaru on our world," Sora filled in when she went quiet. "Me and my friends. We tried to help her out and make sure she was okay. But we were separated from them." He kept his voice light and his face casually cheerful, but Hikaru couldn't help but frown.

"Seems like we're all in the same boat, then," Mrs. Estheim said. Hikaru felt her shoulders fall even more.

_They must be so worried_, she thought. She had at least found someone—someone who could quell even the smallest fraction of her uncertainties. Sora and Mrs. Estheim, though… They were completely in the dark.

"What happened?" she asked. "That night, in Hart's Haven. How did you end up here?"

"Well, it's a bit of a haze," Uncle James said. "There was so much going on. The world was all but falling apart, and those Heartless creatures started appearing. I remember you and Yui getting knocked down by debris…" He paused. "We were swarmed. The next thing I remember, I woke here."

"And you don't know anything about Mam, or Aki, or Tats?" They had been standing the closest to him—she could remember that much.

Uncle James shook his head. "I was alone when I came to," he said. "And you don't know about Yui?"

"No." But she remembered that too—memories that had been locked away behind a wall of panic coming back in full force. Yui lying in the snow next to her, her hand clamping down around Hikaru's, her eyes burning with an unrelenting pressure. Those eyes… They had held no fear.

"_Don't let go."_

When the waitress came back with their food, the conversation eased up. Something about the mouthwatering smells of fried cod and juicy hamburgers mixed with friendly conversation and Yuffie's uproarious laughter soothed the nerves, at least a little bit. Still, Hikaru didn't know what to feel anymore. Should she have been happy? Relieved? Worried? Scared? She just nibbled on her chips and battered fish while Sora devoured his burger with gusto.

"We have to find the King," Donald said at the table next to them as he took a bite out of his chicken wings. "He went somewhere to try and stop the Heartless from invading the worlds, and he wanted us to find a Keyblade."

"That means, he needs its help, right?" Goofy asked.

Donald nodded. "So we should look for him."

"If you're searching for him, then it works out," Leon said. "Sora's looking for his friends too."

"Perfect!" Donald said. He wiped his hands on a napkin and leaned over to poke Sora in the back. "You should come with us!"

"We have a big ol' ship," Goofy explained. "We can use it to go explore other worlds. Then we can look for the King, and your friends too."

"Uh-huh." Donald nodded again. "I'm sure you'll find whoever you're looking for if you come along."

"Really?" Sora perked up a little.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, of course."

Sora's face lit up. "Alright!" he said. "Yeah, if I can look for my friends, I'll go with you guys." He looked to Hikaru. "We can look for Riku and Kairi, and your family."

Hikaru hesitated. Well, a ship was better than a raft, she had to admit. But…

"She can't come," Donald said abruptly, making both Hikaru and Sora blink. "This is an official mission. We only have room for three people on the ship."

"What? But—"

"It's… it's okay, Sora," Hikaru said. "Maybe it's better if I stay here."

Sora whipped around to look at her, his eyes wide. "Huh? But… why?"

She shrugged. What could she say? That is was safer? That she had to stick to the family she actually knew the whereabouts of? She looked to Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim. _It's… the only thing I have left of home_.

And yet… that didn't feel right either.

Sora frowned. "Don't you want to find your family, though?" he asked, something soft and strained in his voice. "Are you really okay with just waiting around?"

Hikaru couldn't answer that.

* * *

They left the café with full bellies, but Hikaru only felt a hollowness in the pit of her stomach. They stood outside the building, taking a moment to stretch their limbs.

"I can't believe you saddled the bill on me, Squall," Yuffie grumbled, the last one to leave the restaurant.

"Hey, you agreed to it," Leon said.

"Yeah, _before_ I knew you'd picked up a whole boatload of people to join us." She sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "I guess it's fine though. We got a lot done today, at least. Found the Keyblade and all."

"You should all rest up before leaving," Aerith said, turning to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "It's getting late, and it's never good to start a journey tired. We have a house in the Third District you can stay at for the night."

"Thanks, Aerith," Goofy said. "That sure is kind of you."

Aerith shook her head. "If you're trying to stop the Heartless, we'll support you as much as we can. We can't let them continue causing trouble."

"Are you set on housing?" Leon asked Uncle James and Hikaru.

"No need to worry. Hikaru can stay with me," Uncle James said.

"Alright, then," Yuffie said. "We all set? Great! I'll show you three to the house. See you guys later," she added, waving to Leon and Aerith before starting across the plaza. Donald and Goofy followed after her, but Sora lingered behind a few extra moments.

"You sure?" he asked Hikaru.

"You heard Donald," she said as her insides twisted around. "Only three can go."

"… Alright." Sora sighed. "I'll see you before we leave, then."

Hikaru nodded. "Right," she said, and she stood there, watching him hurry off towards the towering Third District doors. She didn't move until Aerith came up to her side.

"How are you feeling, Hikaru?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Hikaru said, forcing herself to turn and smile. "Thank you."

"Well, we'll leave you to it," Leon said, looking to Uncle James and Mrs. Estheim. "We need to fill Cid in on everything. Give us a shout if you need us."

"Of course," Mrs. Estheim said. "Thank you so much, Leon. You and you friends have been a big help."

That left only three of them, once Leon and Aerith had departed up the plaza stairs for the Accessory Shop. "Guess we'd better head back too," Uncle James said patting Hikaru on the shoulder. "Mind if I pick some things up at the Item Shop first?"

"Item Shop?" Hikaru grimaced. She wasn't sure she wanted to face those ducklings again after throwing up on their floor. "I'll just… wait outside."

"Are you sure?" Uncle James asked. "There might be Heartless running about."

"I'll stay with her," Mrs. Estheim said. "Don't worry, James."

Hikaru and Mrs. Estheim settled down on a bench right outside the doors while Uncle James ducked into the shop. Hikaru took a deep breath, leaning back against the brick wall and tilting her head upwards to the sky. Dozens of stars gleamed in the clear and dark night overhead. It was a different sort of night. No rippling auroras to fill the Ursid Sea with glowing ribbons of blues and greens like in Polaris, and no watchful moon like the one that rose above the Destiny Islands. This was a sky that was calm and quiet.

It felt empty.

"How are you holding out, Hikaru?" Mrs. Estheim asked, pulling her attention back to the land. There was a softness in her eyes. Sympathy or concern, Hikaru wasn't sure.

"I'm… okay, I guess," Hikaru said. "I don't really know what to do now."

"You wanted to go with them." Mrs. Estheim nodded towards the Third District doors that Sora and the others had disappeared through.

Hikaru paused. "I don't know," she admitted. She pulled her knees to her chest, letting her heels rest on the edge of the bench. "When we were on the island, me and Sora and the others… They'd been planning on building a raft to find other worlds. There wasn't anything else I could do, so… I wanted to go with them." She gave a weak laugh. "It sounds kind of ridiculous, doesn't it?"

"No more ridiculous than running away from home with your sister and trying to cross Lake Bresha," Mrs. Estheim said. Hikaru's eyes widened.

"… You… know about that?"

Mrs. Estheim reached out, patting her on the head. It was her turn to laugh. "Kid, there's hardly a person in Hart's Haven that doesn't know about that misadventure," she said. "Though I suppose some people had expected it, considering your parents. Liam always had his head in the clouds, and your mother… Well…"

"What about her?" Hikaru said, straightening up slightly.

Mrs. Estheim paused. "Let's just say she left quite an impression the day she showed up in Hart's Haven. People used to say she was a fairy who'd come from beyond the valley to cause trouble, but that was just small town superstition kicking in."

"Really?" Hikaru had never heard that before. She didn't know much about her mother, admittedly. Mam had been some kind of soldier, Dad had said, and she'd hurt her leg in some sort of accident years ago—an accident that cracked bone and rippled muscle and never properly healed. But aside from a few sparse and scattered details, that was the extent of Hikaru's knowledge. Mam seldom spoke about herself, and Hikaru had learned long ago that there was no use in asking her.

She'd never thought about asking anyone else, though.

"I bet she's worried about you," Mrs. Estheim went on, looking up at the sky. "She's probably somewhere out there, trying as hard as she can to find you."

"You think?" Hikaru asked.

"I know," Mrs. Estheim replied with a sad sort of smile. "Because moms are tough. And I'm a mom too."

_Right… Of course._ She'd almost forgotten who she was talking to.

"_I'm sorry,"_ she had said then, back in Mrs. Estheim's flat when she'd been at a loss for words. But "sorry" meant nothing. The word was just an empty sound now.

Nora Estheim couldn't get her son back just by saying "sorry." No one could.

Hikaru stared across the plaza. Only a small handful of people crossed the district after departing from the restaurants that were closing down for the night. On the surface, it seemed quaint. Almost normal. But it was a strange thing to think—that every person she saw no longer had a home.

"Sometimes we want to take the easy road," Mrs. Estheim said. "It's safer that way. Less painful. And sometimes there aren't any easy answers. Sometimes it's going to hurt. But only you can figure out how to continue on with as few regrets as you possibly can."

_The easy road…_ "I… I see," Hikaru said. The gears were turning in her head now. _I don't want to regret anything_.

Slowly she rose to her feet. Her legs wobbled under her weight, but she held herself a tall as she could, inhaling the cool, damp air. "Mrs. Estheim… Do you think you can tell me where that house is?"

She didn't seem surprised. "Of course, Hikaru."

* * *

_Knock-knock-knock_.

Hikaru stood below the flickering lamplight and all the fluttering moths that were drawn to its dull orange glow. She was alone in the district amidst the neon lights and the electrical buzz that rang in her ears, without even the Heartless to keep her company. Not that she wanted to see those yellow-eyed monsters now. She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, up and down the lane, and waited a few seconds before she raised her knuckles and knocked on the door again.

There was movement inside the tiny house—the muffled thumps of footsteps and a murmur of voices. Hikaru couldn't see through the glass window because of the heavy white curtains that allowed only a sliver of light pass through the gaps. But then the curtain shifted, parting just a crack to reveal a single curious blue eye.

Then it was gone, and the front door swung open.

"Hikaru," Sora said, surprised. Behind him, Hikaru glimpsed the interior of the dusty and rundown house; a blue shag carpet covered most of the floor, clashing with the gaudy wallpaper that had begun to peel from water damage in the plaster ceiling, while the hole-poked velvet couch had been turned into a makeshift bed. She saw Donald and Goofy too, busy making their own beds, though they had paused to look at her.

"What's up?" Sora asked, drawing her attention back to him.

Hikaru opened her mouth, but a moment passed, and the words died before they could pass her lips. She had come here with the intention to state her business, to make her decision known, to stomp her foot and look them straight in the eye and refuse to take no for an answer. She'd rehearsed it a dozen times in her head on her walk from the First District. But the words didn't want to come.

Her cheeks began to burn, hot with shame.

"I want to go too," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"I want to go with you guys," she said, louder this time. "On the ship. To look for everyone."

Sora brightened. "Really?" he said as Goofy and Donald came up behind him. "That's great!"

"Hold on," Donald said, crossing his arms and dousing Sora's chipper mood. "I already told you, there're only three seats on the ship, and they're all filled. We aren't taking any more passengers." He turned around, walking back over to his nest of blankets and pillows on the recliner in the corner of the room.

Hikaru stepped into the house after him. "But I have to go," she said. "I can't just wait here."

"Too bad."

"Come on, Donald," Sora said as he shut the door. "She knows Riku and Kairi too. It'll be better if we stick together."

"It doesn't matter who she knows. We were only told to bring the Keyblade with us. Sorry," Donald said, though he didn't sound very sorry at all. He shook out his blanket. "It's time for us to get to sleep. So, good night."

Hikaru's lips began to tremble, her jaw tightening. "I have to find my family."

"Everyone has someone to find," Donald said. "We gotta look for the King, the kid here has to look for his friends…" He chucked a thumb in Sora's direction. "You can just stay here, and we'll let you know if we see… whoever it is you're looking for on the way."

"No," Hikaru said. It was a strange feeling behind that single word, a firmness that she hardly ever used. It weighed down on her voice as she spoke.

"No?" Donald repeated. He turned around, dropping his blanket on the floor again, haughty annoyance on his face. "Look, you don't seem to get it. People aren't supposed to travel to different worlds," he said. "We're doing this to help the King stop the stars from blinking out. If you come along…"

"It'd be muddling," Goofy put in.

"Meddling," Donald corrected. "Unnecessary meddling."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed. "I've watched two worlds get destroyed by the Heartless in the span of three days," she said. "Consider things explicitly meddled."

Donald and Goofy exchanged a look—Goofy uncertain, while Donald merely grimaced. Sora in the meantime hovered by the door, watching intently but saying nothing.

"It'd be dangerous if you came along, Hikaru," Goofy said, looking to her with unmistakable sympathy. "You could get hurt."

"I'll deal with that when it happens," she replied stiffly.

Donald snorted. "You're just a kid," he said. "You don't have any training. You don't know magic. You'll just be putting yourself in danger. It's none of your business."

"You're wrong," Hikaru muttered, so quiet it was nearly inaudible. _I have had training_. Training that she'd run away from. Forced to duel her brother. Forced to practice magic. Forced to endure all of the pressure and the orders and all of the guilt from throwing it away. They were the things that she wished she could forget—things that, maybe she had even almost forgotten. But she couldn't afford to forget them now.

"I have to go… because someone has to," she said, clenching her fists. "My family is gone. Everyone from Hart's Haven—from Polaris—is gone. Maybe they're out there somewhere. Lost. Alone. I don't know. But if I don't go, who's going to look for them?"

Her eyes began to water against her own volition. "I don't care about seats," she said, her voice cracking as Donald stared at her with surprise widening in his eyes. "I'll stay in the closet if I have to. I won't do any meddling, and I'll help you find your King as much as I can. But I need to go! _Please_. If I don't… I will never forgive myself."

_I made a decision on the Destiny Islands. I couldn't just sit and wait for someone to find me. So how could I let myself sit and wait now?_

Donald stared at her, his discomfort growing more apparent as the seconds ticked by and she struggled to keep herself together. "Goofy," he whispered. "Do something."

"Do what?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know. Tell her why she can't come," Donald said. "Before she starts crying. You're the parent, here."

"Aww, I dunno Donald. Maybe we _should_ let her…"

"No!"

Sora watched for few moments as Hikaru's shoulders began to tremble. "I don't have any training either," he said. "I mean, I've done sparring and stuff before, but this is all new to me too. I didn't even have the Keyblade until my islands were falling apart. So I don't see why training is a big deal. We both held off that giant armor Heartless in the Second District."

"Hardly," Donald said. "I was the one who beat it!"

"Actually," Goofy started to say, but Donald waved a hand to quiet him.

The ruffled duck looked back and forth between the two kids standing before him—Sora's defiance and Hikaru's unbending rigidity. He tapped his foot on the ground. Looked to Goofy, who shrugged. Then he took a final look at Hikaru, at her hard expression as she tried not to cry, and he blew out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, it's getting late, and I don't have time to argue," he said. "Even if we _did_ let you come along, you'd need to prove you can defend yourself. Are you prepared for that?"

Hikaru didn't trust herself to speak just yet, so she nodded.

"Fine. Both of you," Donald said, pointing a finger at Sora as well. "Come with me. We're getting this over with right now."

* * *

Their footsteps echoed through the empty district. Donald led the way to a narrow alley just around the corner of the house. Hikaru and Sora followed in silence while Goofy brought up the rear with his eyes scanning the road for Heartless. They stopped once Donald came to a halt at the mouth of the dead end alley.

"See those?" he said, pointing to a stack of broken wooden crates pushed up against the brick wall. "Blast them with Fire. Both of you."

"W-what?" Sora said. "But I've never used magic before."

"Don't worry about it," Donald said. "Fire is the easiest spell there is—even a kid can learn to do it." He looked to Hikaru, who stared back unflinchingly despite his smug expression. "If you can manage to do that, I'll let you come along. Deal?"

Hikaru pursed her lips. "Deal."

"But… how?" Sora said. "I don't know how to cast magic."

"Use your Keyblade," Donald said. "It helps to have something to channel the magic through. Just clear your thoughts. Imagine that there's a fire inside of you, and imagine your target burning. Then direct it out towards your target and shout 'Fire'!"

Sora frowned, but he summoned the Keyblade to his hand anyway. "I don't know about this…"

"It's not as hard as it looks," Hikaru said, making Sora turn. She hesitated just a moment, looking at her hand. It still stung a little bit, and she could feel the echo of that spark on her skin. The tingling was still there—the tingling of magic.

_It was another thing I never wanted to do_, she thought. _Or… No. That's not right either. Maybe there was a time when I wanted to do it. But it didn't matter back then. It became too much. It always became too much._

She took a deep breath, raising her hand and aiming at the crates at the end of the alley. It was there in the pit of her stomach, nearly forgotten under all her fear and guilt and regret. Dredging it up now was like scrubbing off the rust from a long-unused tool. _"Magic flows through the body,"_ Mam had once told her, holding her hands in an unusually gentle grasp. Back then, the warm and comforting light of her mother's Cure spell had served to soothe Hikaru's burns. _"It's an extension of your will. If you want it, you have to have the resolve to get it. And once you learn, you'll never truly forget."_

All she needed was that spark.

"Fire," she said as the flames ripped free from her palm.

It wasn't impressive. It wasn't outstanding. In all honesty, it was a little pathetic—just a feeble fireball that burst apart upon impact with the crates and left smoldering marks in the wood. But Hikaru exhaled, flexing out her fingers and shaking away the lingering embers as she turned to Donald.

"So," she said. "When are we leaving?"

Donald stared at her, mouth slightly agape. "Huh? But, you…"

"A deal's a deal," she said. "I'm going too. Unless you decide to go back on your word and admit you lied."

He closed his bill quickly, shaking his head. "Grr… Fine. Fine!" he said, throwing up his hands. "Have it your way! Come along if you really want, but you're staying with the baggage!" He pivoted around and stomped off in a huff back towards the house. Goofy hurried after him, leaving Hikaru and Sora alone in the street.

* * *

"Nice!" Sora said, giving a wide smile once the others were gone. "You did it! That means you get to come along too."

"Yeah…" Hikaru nodded. "Though I don't think Donald likes me."

"Aw, who cares?" He gave a practice swing with his Keyblade. "The main thing is that we can look for Kairi and Riku together, and you can search for your family."

"Mm… I guess." It still wasn't the best feeling in the world, but she supposed it couldn't be helped. _I'll do what I need to do_.

"My turn, then?" Sora asked. He pointed his Keyblade out at the crates, holding the weapon with both hands. "Donald's not here, but if you did it, I'll give it a shot." He closed his eyes, breathing in and out a few times and relaxing his shoulders. Hikaru watched with a tilt of her head. "Fire!" Sora said, his eyes snapping open. A ball of fire blasted out from the end of the Keyblade, striking the wooden crates and knocking bits of blackened wood into the air. "Whoa…"

"Wow," Hikaru said, her eyebrows rising in surprise as the smoking wooden remains rained back down to the dirty alley floor. "You sure you never used magic before?"

"Positive," Sora said. He swung the Keyblade again, aiming out and mimicking the movement of his spell cast with a laugh. "You know, this thing is pretty cool."

"Just try not to burn down the town," she replied with a chuckle of her own.

"I'll do my best." Sora nodded. "Well… Guess we should head back? It's getting late, and Donald wanted to leave first thing tomorrow."

They walked at a leisurely pace though, neither of them particularly eager to face Donald after he'd stormed off. Hikaru massaged her hands and the nerve-numbed sensation that had sunk into her fingers. It had been years since she'd done any sort of magic. It felt strange, like using a neglected muscle.

"So," Sora said after a moment of silence, folding his hands behind his head. "What made you change your mind?"

"Couldn't sit around and let you do all the work," she said. "That wouldn't be fair."

"Heh, really?"

"Mm." Hikaru paused. "Maybe… I was scared," she admitted. She propped her staff over her shoulder, tucking her free hand into her pocket and touching the silver watched inside. "I still don't understand all that's going on. Staying here would be safer. Easier. But if I can do something to help… Wouldn't it be wrong if I did nothing?"

Confused or scared, it didn't matter. She had a responsibility now—to her family, to her friends, to her world and all of the people lost in the sea of the stars. For once in her life, she had to be strong.

She had no other choice.

* * *

"I didn't think she'd be able to do it," Donald grumbled under his breath as he jammed the spare potions and ethers into their supply packs. "I figured the Keyblade would help the boy, but her…"

"Aw, maybe it's not such a bad thing," Goofy said. He sat down on his floor bed, pulling off his shoes and stretching his arms with a loud yawn. "It's nice to have more people around to help out, especially on a big mission like this."

"You mean if they're not a liability instead." Donald zipped his pack shut and sighed. This was not how he'd expected his week to go. It had been just an ordinary day at Disney Castle. There were some tomes he'd needed to finish reading, some wards he'd needed to redo. The Million Dreams Festival was supposed to be coming up soon too—but it looked like he and Goofy would be missing that again this year.

_Me and Daisy were supposed to go on a date today_, he thought. Ice cream in town, maybe a movie at the theater. And now he was saddled with a couple of brats? It was like watching Huey, Dewey, and Louie all over again.

Though his nephews never cried, at least. He'd been caught a little off guard when that girl started tearing up; dealing with crying kids had never been his strong suit, and the earnest desperation in Hikaru's voice had been almost painful to listen to. Donald held back a grimace. That would be the new rule.

"No crying," he said to himself as he settled down to sleep. "Only happy faces."

* * *

A/N: Whew, now that was a chapter. The Traverse Town segment has more or less come to a close, which means we'll be starting our adventure very soon! I'm personally very excited.

What did you think? This chapter was a bit of a back and forth to write; some parts came out easily, while others needed a bit more effort. Hikaru's mindset and backstory have been fun to unfold, if a little tricky to do. Let me know if you liked it!

On an important note regarding update scheduling: **starting from now, Re-sketch will be updated every other week on a biweekly basis,** rather than weekly. I managed to just barely keep up with a weekly schedule from the beginning of this story, but it's getting more and more difficult as I don't have enough time to get feedback from my beta reader and do edits. If I manage to get caught up and write enough chapters ahead of time, I'll return to a weekly schedule, though I can't make any promises unfortunately. I apologize for this change, but I hope all of you will continue to follow this story even if the updates come a little slower. :)

I'd also like to thank everyone for their kind reviews, not only last chapter, but throughout the story so far. Shoutouts to BlissfulNightRain, Lunar Abyss, Xxser3ndipityxX, Chirithy564, readingchameleon, B. T. Emmett, TruSelf, Naisu bab, and Sugoi. One reviewer in particular mentioned that it would be nice to get a better idea of what Hikaru's physical description is. I tend to be sparser on physical appearance detailing, but I'll try to pepper in a bit more description in the future! (In the meantime, you can get a look at what Hikaru and Yui look like in the cover image for this story!)

Anyways, if you liked this chapter, let me know with a review! Feedback is very much appreciated.

Thank you for reading!


	9. Down the Rabbit Hole

5/5/19: Hello everyone, Tempura here with the next chapter of RS! It's our first chapter after the switch to a biweekly update schedule, and luckily I managed to finish this thing in time. Guess I need to work on my tendency to procrastinate, haha! Anyway, let's not waste any time.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 9: Down the Rabbit Hole

By the time Hikaru trudged back through the Second District, the clock tower had turned its crooked hands towards midnight. The whole of the district had fallen utterly still; not a light shone in the closed shopfronts, and the curtains had been pulled shut over the apartment and hotel windows. No one else seemed to wander the streets this late—human or otherwise.

Someone was waiting for her, though, sitting down in silence at the edge of the mosaic fountain. Hikaru walked over with her boots scraping against the stone road, and she took a seat beside him. For the first time since she'd marched off to the Third District, she felt the tension ease out of her anxious heart.

"So," Uncle James said. He sat hunched over, resting his head against one hand while the other snuffed out his cigarette along the rim of the fountain. He'd already accumulated a short row of crumpled cigarette butts at his side. "How did it go, kid?"

"Pretty okay, all things considered," Hikaru replied, pressing her hands flat against her knees and taking a measured breath. "Donald didn't want me coming along. He made me prove I can defend myself." She still wasn't sure she could, but whatever scraps of spell knowledge still floating in her head from those old lessons with Mam had been enough to qualify for now. Whether it would make a difference in the long run, though…

"That's understandable," Uncle James said. "Sounds like it could be a bit of a hazardous journey, going around to other worlds. But you lot have been traveling all your lives and getting into all sorts of trouble. If anyone has a chance of making it fine, it'd be you."

"I guess it's a good thing my mam tried teaching me everything after all." Hikaru tried to smile, but she could feel it straining at her cheeks.

It didn't go unnoticed by Uncle James. "Are you sure about this, Hikaru?" he asked. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I know," Hikaru said. It was the same thing he'd told her when she'd barged into the Item Shop to announce her newfound intentions. He hadn't been as surprised as she'd thought he would be. "Someone has to, though."

Uncle James gave a light chuckle. "You sound like your father," he said.

Hikaru felt a tug at her lips. Those were the words that really made her smile, as much as it still hurt to think of. Usually people compared her to her mother. They weren't wrong, at least on the surface; Hikaru had the same coloration as Luna, the red hair and the tawny complexion. Back before Yui started dyeing her hair, the same had often been said of her—probably even more so, for Yui shared their mother's sharp eyes and the tall, willowy stature that Hikaru lacked. But Hikaru knew that neither her nor her sister particularly enjoyed those comparisons.

"If he were here," Hikaru said, her voice quiet, "do you think he'd agree with me?"

"Well, I think he wouldn't stop you," Uncle James said. "He always had faith in you kids. That's why I won't stop you either," he added belatedly. "I only wish I could be helping too, but…"

"Still scared of flying?" Hikaru asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Uncle James made a noise in his throat. He reached over, clapping a hand on the top of her head. "Oh, so now that cheeky has come back, eh?"

They both laughed. Uncle James dropped his arm over Hikaru's shoulders, pulling her in for a tight hug. The smell of smoke clung to his jacket, but it didn't bother her. There was something comforting in the memories it brought back of late winter nights spent in Windhill Pub, eating warm bread pudding and beef stew while Akihiko dared her to sneak sips of Dad's or Uncle James's drinks when no one was looking.

"Just don't make any reckless mistakes," Uncle James said. "Remember to stick together—no matter what sort of situation you get yourself into, it's always safer when you have a friend at your side. We need you to come back in one piece, alright?"

She nodded. "Right."

He patted her on the head again. "Well… You'd best get some rest then. Big adventure ahead of you." Neither of them moved to get up, though. They just sat there a little while longer, listening to the flowing water that filled the empty air.

* * *

The alarm rang at dawn to rouse them from sleep, but there was no dawn to actually see. When Sora left the Third District house that morning, following Donald and Goofy as they made their way towards the First District, the sky was still dark, and the air that settled between the buildings was still as chilly as it had been in the dead of night.

"Where's the sun?" Sora asked, craning his neck to watch the twinkling stars. Shouldn't it have been rising right about now?

"Guess this world doesn't have one," Goofy said with a shrug. "It's kinda nice, don'tcha think?"

_More like weird_, Sora thought. He'd never been the type to wake up early to watch the sunrise in the first place, but this didn't feel like morning at all. Morning was the chirping of birds in the banyan trees, the crowing of roosters in the bushes outside of his house, and the chatter of his neighbors heading off to the docks for another long day of fishing out on the open sea.

On one hand, he wished he could see that morning one last time. On the other, he wished that Riku and Kairi were with him to see this too.

"Let's just grab something to eat before we go," Donald said as they passed through the district doors.

"What about Hikaru?" Sora asked.

That made the duck scowl. "If she's not at the plaza by the time we're done, we're leaving without her," he said gruffly.

Luckily, they found her already waiting for them. Hikaru and her uncle were standing at their designated meeting place in the center of the plaza, a spot between two crooked streetlights near the foot of the stairs. They weren't the only ones in the plaza, though. The town seemed busier today, with people passing through the shops or milling around in the streets. Not quite bustling like downtown Destiny Islands had been, but it seemed so different from the night before—even if the sky didn't look all that much different.

"Good mornin' Hikaru. Mornin' Mr. James," Goofy said as they approached.

"Morning," Hikaru replied with a tired smile. She had that crooked walking staff with her, along with an old faded messenger bag that Sora didn't recognize. She'd already gotten breakfast by the looks of it; only half of a cinnamon roll, dotted with raisins and smothered in gooey icing, remained in her paper takeout container. Her uncle in the meantime sipped on a steaming hot coffee and gave a friendly wave.

"Did'ja have a good night's rest?" Goofy asked.

"Hardly," Hikaru said. "Guess I was a little too excited for the trip."

"Bah…" Donald looked away pointedly and crossed his arms. "You'd better not go falling asleep on us. Just finish up whatever you have to do—we're leaving in half an hour. Come on, Goofy." He marched off towards the shops, leaving Goofy to scratch his head and cast Hikaru an apologetic smile before hurrying after him. Hikaru pressed her lips into a frown but said nothing.

"So," Sora said after the awkward moment passed. "Where'd you get the food?"

They ended up leading him to a tiny shop just down the street, where the smell of toasty cinnamon and ground coffee beans wafted through the open window. A fast-moving line of customers filed just outside the door. Sora took up position at the back of the line, with Hikaru and her uncle joining him until he had his chance to order a blueberry bagel and some orange juice.

"Are you prepared for the journey, Sora?" Mr. Moore—or, erm, James asked once they were out of the line. It felt a little odd for Sora to call him that, but the blond-haired man had insisted. _"'Uncle' makes me feel old,"_ he'd said last night at dinner. _"Only Hikaru and her siblings call me that. And that's only because they refuse to call me anything else."_

_"You're basically our uncle anyway,"_ Hikaru had replied with a genuine grin—one that had reached her eyes and seemed more at ease than anything Sora had seen since he'd met her.

"I think I'm ready," Sora said. Not that he had much to bring with him in the first place. Donald and Goofy handled all of the supplies like potions and ethers. Sora didn't even have a proper change of clothes, other than some hand-me-downs Yuffie had scrounged up last night from the donations box. No munny either, except for the handful of change Goofy had given him before leaving the house. All he really had was the Keyblade.

"Good," James said. "You never want to go wandering off into the great unknown unprepared, after all."

"Speaking from personal experience?" Hikaru asked.

"I don't think you have any room to talk, kid," James replied, flicking her in the ear.

Sora chewed on his bagel slowly, giving a small smile as he watch Hikaru puff up her cheeks and bat her uncle's hand away. "You're all set to go, then?" Sora asked.

"Mmhmm," Hikaru said. "Uncle James is lending me a bag. We bought bandages and potions from the Item Shop earlier. They had some weapons too, but they were way too expensive."

"So you're taking that thing with you?" He nodded at her walking staff.

"I'd might as well," she said. "It's been helpful so far."

Sora paused in chewing. "Isn't it just a stick?"

"Yeah, and you have a giant key, so we're both in a bit of a weird situation."

"But it's a _magic_ giant key," he said. "So hah, I win."

"Who needs a magic key if you can use magic on your own?" she asked, crossing her arms and raising a coppery eyebrow.

"Yeah, _maybe_ that's true…" Sora paused. "… But my fireball was bigger." Hikaru squinted at him.

They started back for the plaza once they were almost finished with their food, with Hikaru handing off the rest of her half-eaten cinnamon roll to Sora—not that he was complaining, because hey, free food was always nice. By the time they returned, their allotted half hour was just about up, and Donald and Goofy were already there waiting. Donald in particular stood with his foot tapping against the ground and an increasingly familiar grumpy irritation on his face.

"You're late," Donald said.

"Actually, they're about two minutes early," Goofy said pleasantly. "Did'ja find something to eat okay? Me and Donald went to a place that serves breakfast pizzas."

"Ooh, with bacon and eggs?" Hikaru asked.

Goofy nodded. "And cheese! I have some leftovers if you wanna try it." He held up a little cardboard takeout box for them to see.

"Later, Goofy," Donald said. "Come on, let's get going already. The King's waiting for us." He gestured over to the giant set of double doors at the end of the First District that led to… Actually, now that Sora thought about it, he wasn't quite sure where those doors led.

"Well… I guess that's it, then," James said, patting Hikaru's shoulder as he turned to her. Before they could even begin their goodbyes, though, a voice rang out over the chatter of the plaza.

"Hey!"

Sora turned towards the stairs. He spotted Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith making their way past the Accessory Shop. "Oh, hey." He raised a hand and waved.

"Good," Yuffie said, stifling a yawn and stretching out her arms. "We were worried we might've missed you." She looked a little dazed and sleep deprived. Sora could relate.

"What're you guys doing up so early?" Hikaru asked.

"Early?" Aerith smiled. "Don't worry, our days tend to start early here."

"Speak for yourself," Yuffie said with a groan as she rubbed her face. "Ugh… I can't even tell what time it is around here. I miss living in a world with an actual sun. Aerith, can we go on a trip soon? I could use a vacation…"

"Don't mind her," Leon said to Sora and the others. "She's a little grumpy when she gets woken up from her beauty rest."

Yuffie's eyes narrowed. "Listen here, Squall—"

"Anyway," Leon said before she could continue. "We just wanted to see you off. It's the least we can do."

"Aw, that's kind of ya," Goofy said.

"Be safe out there," Aerith said. "And don't hesitate to come back anytime. We'll be waiting here if you need us."

With that, they bade their farewells. Hikaru gave her uncle a big hug, earning herself a tousled head of hair in return. Leon and Aerith shared a few final words with Donald and Goofy, asking about their travel plans and precautions. Sora watched them quietly, smiling at first, though as the seconds turned to minutes, he shuffled his feet and shifted his attention to the last bit of Hikaru's cinnamon roll left in its box. It didn't look as appetizing as it had when she'd first given it to him, but maybe that was because of all the raisins.

"Welp, Spiky." A hand clapped over his shoulder, making him jolt. Yuffie had come up at his side, as stealthy as a ninja. "Good luck. Hunt those Heartless for us and come back in one piece. If you do, Leon will buy you guys lunch."

"Oh?" Leon glanced over at her. "According to who?"

"Yuffie Kisaragi, that's who," she replied. "Don't worry, he'll pay one way or another—I think he's growing a soft spot for you guys, even if he's kind of a jerk sometimes," she added as a not-so-subtle whisper in Sora's ear. "But really, see you guys again soon, alright? And I hope you find your friends."

"Thanks…" Sora nodded. "I hope so too."

* * *

"They're really nice," Hikaru said, glancing over her shoulder for one last wave goodbye before the heavy doors swung shut to seal out the dark morning's cool air.

Inside was warm in comparison. The room that stretched before them was massive, with distant walls and a high ceiling that made their footsteps echo against the concrete. Here and there stood rolling carts of wrenches and screwdrivers, and on the walls were shelves packed with tools of all shapes and sizes. But the things that really drew Hikaru's attention were the ships. Three colorful ships occupied a small portion of space in the hangar—though they were nothing like the airships Hikaru had seen anywhere back in Ursa Minor.

"Here it is," Donald said, coming to a stop next to the largest of the three ships. This one was red and yellow, with wings that seemed somehow a little too small for its size. Compared to the commercial airships that ferried people across the Ursid Sea, it was a rather modest vessel. Hikaru wondered how it would stay afloat without any steam balloons.

"Whoa…!" Sora took a few steps forward, looking up at the ship with bright excitement in his eyes. "This is your ship?"

"What is it?" Hikaru asked. She lifted a hand and gave the blocky material a curious prod. Whatever it was, it sprang back like soft rubber under her finger. She'd never seen a ship like this before.

"This here is our gummi ship," Goofy said. "Made special by the engineers back at Disney Castle. Neat, huh? Wanna take a look inside?"

The gummi ship's interior was a far cry from its outside design. Upon entering, Hikaru saw that there wasn't all that much space in the hold. A narrow, windowless hallway led from the door all the way to the back of the ship, where a steep set of metal stairs traveled up to a hatch in the ceiling. Two sets of bunkbeds stood on either side of the hall, though the bottom left bunk seemed to have been turned into a makeshift storage area for supply crates and luggage bags.

"This is your spot," Donald said to Hikaru, pointing at the cluttered bed. "You can clear it off later. Sora, you get the top one. Bathroom's at the end of the hall if you need it. Try not to spill anything on the bedsheets—we don't have a laundry machine on board."

"Sweet," Sora said, rising to the tips of his toes to get a better look at his bed.

_Well… At least I don't have to sleep on the floor_, Hikaru thought.

"And this is the way to the flight deck." Donald led the way down the hallway and up the stairs, shoving open the hatch above their heads. He climbed up first, then Goofy, then Sora, and lastly Hikaru, who hesitated with her feet still planted on the top step as she looked around.

It was a vast difference to the tight hallway of the gummi ship's hold. The flight deck was a spacious circular compartment enclosed by a glass dome window. Three large chairs stood in a triangle formation, facing the front of the ship; the frontmost seat was positioned before a console with the control wheel—a yoke, Hikaru remembered Tatsuya had once told her when he'd looked up diagrams of Ursid airships after he'd gotten his tablet, though this piece looked different compared to the ones back home. The other two seats had consoles of their own, with dual joysticks on one side and a holographic navigation map on the other.

"Ohh, this is so cool!" Sora hurried over to the pilot's seat, plopping down and reaching for the control wheel. Donald gave a quack of alarm, scrambling after him and smacking his hands away.

"Don't touch it!" Donald said. "No way I'm letting a kid fly our ship!"

"Yeah, Sora," Hikaru said. "Do you even know how to drive?"

"Err, no." Sora crossed his arms. "But do you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," she said. Sort of. Uncle James had let her practice using his truck since she'd turned fourteen, and back in Akhfa, one of Akihiko's friends from the Crownsguard gang had let her start up his motorcycle. That counted, right? "I guess that means we know who's more qualified to drive."

"The answer is _neither_ of you. Because you're both kids!" Donald scowled. "No one is driving except me. If you're well-behaved, _maybe_ I'll let you sit in the navigator's seat. Now move, before you break something!" He ushered Sora out of the pilot's chair.

"Well, what are these for, then?" Sora asked, looking at the other seat with the joysticks.

"Ahyuck, those are for the cannons and lasers," Goofy said cheerfully. Sora's eyes lit up.

"Lasers?"

"No!" Donald flailed his hands and rushed over to stop Sora from investigating the new toy. Hikaru couldn't help but laugh.

"The main console in front of that there pilot's seat can control everything, but it's nice to split up the jobs on a big journey like this," Goofy explained. "Oh! And before we get goin', there's some people we'd like you to meet." He walked over to the main console and hit a particularly glowy yellow button. "Chip? Dale? Are ya there?"

A small monitor on the console flickered to life, its black screen turning white and crackly with static. A moment later, two furry figures appeared, both dressed in aprons and worker gloves while their faces pressed close to the screen. They were chipmunks—complete with the twitchy ears and the stubby little tails.

"Hello!" the chipmunk with the black nose said as he saluted. "Chip and Dale reporting for duty!"

"Nice to see you guys doing okay," the one with the red nose added.

"They're our maintenance crew," Goofy said. "They're back at the castle, but they'll be helping us as best as they can. And then there's one more person…"

"Well, I'll be," a quiet voice came from behind them. "So I'm guessing you found the Keyblade."

Hikaru turned around. There was no one there—at least, no one that she saw at first. It wasn't until she heard the clearing of a throat that she lowered her gaze to the floor, where there stood what she thought was a tiny fairy wearing an equally tiny suit and top hat.

_A real fairy?_ Her eyes widened. After all those childhood afternoons spent hunting through the neighborhood gardens in Hart's Haven, she'd finally found a fairy? For just a moment, she almost couldn't contain her excitement.

But no, she soon realized. It wasn't a fairy.

"Whoa," Sora said, placing his hands on his knees as he crouched down. "A talking cricket!"

"The name's Jiminy—Jiminy Cricket," he replied, giving a polite bow with a flourish of his top hat. "The King asked me to help chronicle your journey and offer some advice."

Hikaru was admittedly a little disappointed that he wasn't a fairy, but she supposed a talking cricket would have some interesting things to say too. "Advice?" she asked, leaning forward as well.

"Indeed! You won't notice me most of the time, I'm sure—part of the duties of being a conscience." Jiminy pulled out a miniature leatherback journal that was barely larger than the sticky notes from Uncle James's study. "So… Which one of you has the Keyblade?"

"Uh, that'd be me," Sora said.

"Good!" Jiminy sprang onto Sora's shoulder in a single leap. "Do you mind if I ask some questions, um… Gosh, I don't even know your names."

"Sora. And this is my friend Hikaru."

"Hello," Hikaru said with a wave.

Jiminy nodded, scribbling something down in his journal. "Pleasure to meet the both of you."

"Well, while Jiminy does that…" Donald turned towards the main console. "Chip, Dale, where to first?"

"There should be a world nearby," Chip said. "Shouldn't be more than a few hours of flight time. I guess it's best to start there for now. Dale will send you the coordinates."

"Roger that." Donald settled down in the pilot's chair, flipping a few switches on the console and pulling a lever. "Everyone, buckle in," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "We're leaving now."

Buckling in for Hikaru unfortunately meant returning below deck for liftoff while the gummi ship trembled with the starting of the engines. She climbed back down the stairs with a pout, crossing her arms when she reached the bottom. Sora and Jiminy stepped down behind her, closing the hatch with a click.

_Heading back to the stars again_, she thought, tapping her fingers against her arm, _and we don't even get to see it_. Her gaze flickered to the walls—the flat, featureless walls that gave no view of the outside. The airships back in Ursa Minor had windows at least.

She exchanged a look with Sora, who seemed just as displeased with being sent below deck. The ship lurched forward, and the two of them allowed only a few seconds to pass before coming to the same conclusion. Without another word, they turned back up the stairs in unison, keeping their footsteps light on the metal steps even as the jittering of the ship threatened to knock them off of their feet.

"What are you doing?" Jiminy asked, holding onto the hood of Sora's jacket with one hand and keeping his top hat attached to his head with the other. "Donald said to stay below until the ship is in the air!"

"But that means we're going to miss it," Sora said. "I've never flown before. I gotta see this!"

"What if you fall and hurt yourselves?" Jiminy said.

"We'll deal with it," Hikaru replied. She and Sora pressed their hands against the hatch, pushing it open just a few inches before Jiminy could protest. They stood shoulder to shoulder on the stairs, almost wedged in the opening as they peered back into the flight deck. From the floor, they couldn't see much of the consoles, and the three chairs were facing away from them. Instead, the dome of clear glass stretched above their heads, and that was what Hikaru craned her neck to look at as the ship sped out of the hangar.

Liftoff had always been one of her favorite parts of flying. The gradual buildup of a ship taking off from the station matched the excitement and anticipation of a new journey to places both familiar and not. There was also something about watching a world shrink away, with all of its trees and buildings and cities and mountains become smaller and smaller, until the whole world was nothing but a speck of light across a sea of stardust.

The last time she'd flown the sea of the stars, she'd been with her family. Now she was setting off through the sea beyond her sea to find them, and that feeling only really set in at that moment when the sky opened up above them and the gummi ship left the ground.

The whole of the universe bloomed into existence like a droplet of paint sinking through water. The starry night over Traverse Town faded away as the ship climbed higher and higher into the sky, until Hikaru was certain that they were far beyond the reach of that world of refugees. Instead there were colors—swirling colors that glowed in the void. Clouds of rainbow gas, infinitely large, loomed an immeasurable distance overhead. Asteroids floated aimlessly around them, and even further away were the gleam of far-off stars.

It should have scared her in a way. When she was younger, just the idea of sailing off to the unreachable void that lay beyond the Ursid Sea, beyond the stardust that connected the worlds of Ursa Minor, had been terrifying. Too far in any direction, and they could have been set adrift, lost to the space that lay outside the reach of her safe and familiar constellation—or at least, that was how she'd understood it. But she was already there, already in the deep star sea beyond the traversal of the Ursid airships. And for a single moment, at least, she wasn't scared.

"Wow," Sora whispered beside her, his breath stolen away by a sense of awe. And Hikaru had to agree.

Because even though it was different, this was the closest she'd felt to being back home.

* * *

The flight was peaceful.

For the most part, they hardly spoke. Donald kept to the pilot's seat in silence. Goofy took the time to explain to Sora in a hushed voice the functions of the navigational map. Hikaru listened from where she stood off to the side in the front corner of the flight deck—but she only listened, keeping her eyes instead on the window and the stars that gleamed through the ambient glow of space. One particular star stood out, brighter than the rest—and it seemed to get closer as the minutes ticked on. Hikaru straightened up.

"Is that the world?" she asked. Behind her, Sora and Goofy paused in their systems walkthrough.

"Yep," Donald said, pulling back on a lever and slowing the ship's engines. "Chip, do you know what this one is called?"

"Uh, let me see…" On the other side of the monitor, the little chipmunk tapped away on his own console. "It looks like it's logged as 'Wonderland' in our archives. Not much more information, though."

"Got it. Thanks, Chip." Donald sighed, getting up from his seat and taking a moment to stretch his limbs while the gummi ship continued forward on autopilot. "Well," he said, looking to Hikaru, Sora, and Goofy. "Get ready. Remember, we're on a top secret mission—no telling the locals about other worlds. We have to keep the world order."

"Why is this world order stuff so important anyway?" Sora asked. "Is it really that big of a deal?"

"There's a reason the worlds are separated," Donald said, settling back into his seat. "They're a balanced ecosystem, and if something from outside manages to get in, it can mess up the natural order. Plus, traveling between different worlds is supposed to be impossible. If we tell someone about the other worlds, who's to say they won't try finding a way to reach them? Sometimes knowing too much can get you into trouble."

"And that's why we get by on not knowing much at all, ahyuck!" Goofy added.

"Yes… No, wait!" Donald shook his head vigorously. "That's not what I meant!"

It took only about twenty more minutes before they reached their destination, according to Hikaru's pocket watch. As the ship neared the star, the bright glow that surrounded it began to ebb, until they could see exactly what the source of the blinding light was.

"Whoa," Hikaru said, stepping forward. The world itself seemed to have been encased in a glowing shell. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a ball of light hanging motionless in space. Or it would have, anyway, if it wasn't for the massive cracks that had broken through the shell's surface, revealing a glimpse of what lay beneath: an idyllic countryside, bright and green under a morning sun and nestled at the edge of a forest and a stream.

"It's not supposed to look like that… right?" Hikaru said, scanning the cracks in the shell. It looked so… unnatural this close.

"It's because of the Heartless," Goofy said. "Breaking the barriers between the worlds."

"Okay, are we ready?" Donald cut the engine and glanced to them. Sora and Goofy nodded, and a moment later, so did Hikaru. "Good. I'll beam us down now."

"We'll see you later, Jiminy," Goofy said with a wave to the cricket sitting at the edge of the console as Donald pressed the buttons. A loud honk went off somewhere inside the ship, accompanied by a number of blinking lights on the monitor. A set of coordinates appeared on the screen with a string of indecipherable numbers, followed by a bright white flash. Hikaru felt the floor disappear from under her feet.

And suddenly they were falling.

* * *

The cacophony of ticking was drowned out by their screams.

"AAAH!"

"WAAACK!"

"YAAH-HOO-HOO-HOOEY!"

"HOLY CRAP!" Hikaru shouted as the air whistled past her face. All around her came the ticking of clocks—of grandfather clocks and cuckoo clocks and mantelpiece clocks, some of which even had the mantelpieces and fireplaces still attached. This wasn't the countryside they had seen from the gummi ship. It was a tunnel, lined with wood and littered with a nonsensical array of objects—objects that seemed not to care about any laws of gravity while Hikaru and the others plummeted to certain doom.

Or… Was plummeting the right word? Hikaru blinked as she twisted around. The wind seemed to wane. The floating objects passed them at a slower pace. As the ticking of the clocks echoed throughout the tunnel and rang in her ears, the whole world around them seemed to slow down.

Even the hands of the clocks.

She rolled over onto her back, looking up at the others who fell above her: at Donald who grasped in panic for the empty air, at Sora who tumbled and crashed into the writing desks and tea tables and fancy dish cabinets, and at Goofy who… seemed to have realized the same thing she had and was taking it rather well, based on the way he leaned back with a foot propped up against his knee and his hands folded behind his head.

_Tick-tock. Tick tock. Tick… tock…_

"Guys!" Hikaru said loudly, trying to make her voice heard over Sora and Donald's screaming. "We're okay! We're not falling—we're _floating_!"

It took a few moments, but they went quiet when the realization hit them too. Sora turned, trying to right himself with his hands splayed out for balance and his feet directed towards the ground that seemed like a not-at-all-any-closer speck at the bottom of the tunnel. Donald stopped flailing his arms like he was trying to fly, and he gave a sharp cough as he cleared his throat.

"I… knew that," he said.

"I think you might've put in the wrong coordinates, Donald," Goofy remarked.

"Nonsense!" Donald crossed his arms and scowled. "I set us to land in Wonderland! This must be the right way to get there."

"Well, whatever it is, this is bizarre," Sora said as he passed in front of a full-body mirror and watched his reflection rise up in the other direction.

He wasn't kidding. It was as if someone had taken an entire house, flipped it upside down, and shaken out every last object within. There were flower pots, rocking chairs, open dressers, empty doorways, a queen-sized bed, and even a kitchen sink. Why were these things here? And how? Hikaru couldn't think of any answers to that. She just watched it all pass them by.

_It reminds me of a story_, she thought, trailing her finger along the well-worn spines of the books crammed into a tall bookcase. _One that Mam used to tell us_.

They reached the dimly lit bottom after what seemed like an eternity, but according to all of the clocks in the tunnel and even Hikaru's own pocket watch, the whole fall had taken less than a minute. Sora and Donald landed first, light on their feet, while Goofy flopped over onto his stomach with a heavy thud. Hikaru stumbled upon reaching the checkered red and white tile floor, falling back on her butt and wincing.

Well, gravity had come back at least, though Hikaru thought that the gentle float down had been rather pleasant once she'd gotten over the screaming terror. _Let's just… never do that again_. For now, they had other things to focus on. Like that rabbit with a waistcoat and pocket watch.

Wait. What?

"Ohhhh, my whiskers! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" the flustered white rabbit cried, scrambling down the narrow hallway past them. Hikaru had to do a double take

_Where the hell…?_

"Uh, excuse me," Goofy said, lifting a finger. "Hello?"

"Hello? There's no time to say hello!" the rabbit replied without even bothering to glance back at them. "The Queen will have my head if I'm late!"

"A queen?" Donald asked, rubbing his bill. "Hmm…"

"Do ya think the King might be visiting the royalty here?" Goofy said.

"Who knows? Only one way to find out."

They followed the rabbit down the darkened hallway that stretched before them. Gas lamps lined the crooked and curtain-covered walls, just barely offering the warm glow of their tiny flames as illumination. By the time they reached the end of the hall, the rabbit was nowhere in sight; the only thing there was a single closed door.

And as Goofy turned the knob and pulled it open, they realized that behind it was… another door?

"Wha?" Donald marched over, opening the other door, only to find the same thing awaiting them. Again and again, he pried open the doors—at least a dozen of them, each growing continuously smaller until the rather averaged-sized doorway had turned into a tiny entryway just barely big enough to crawl through.

"Err… Well…" Sora crouched down, tilting his head to get a better look at the other side. "It's big enough for the rabbit to fit through."

Hikaru couldn't help but laugh. _What kind of maniac built this place?_

They had to get on their hands and knees, squeezing through the door one at a time. The room on the other side was large in comparison, far larger than what seemed appropriate for such a tiny door. It seemed like some kind of study, with walls adorned with pink wallpaper and a twin-sized bed pushed into the corner. There was a table too in the center of the room, and a stove and fireplace off to the side.

A stack of hardcover books was the only thing sitting on the table. Hikaru grabbed one, flipping it open to a random page and finding that the text printed inside made no sense at all.

_It's like… someone just vomited a bunch of words on paper_. She brought the book closer to her face. _What the hell is an 'antipathy'?_

"Where did the rabbit go?" Sora asked, looking around. "He couldn't have just disappeared, right?" He went to check the unlit fireplace.

"Hmm…" Donald took a step forward, but before his foot even touched the ground, Goofy grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. Donald lost his balance, falling back on his tail feathers.

"What was that for, you big palooka?!" the duck sputtered.

"Look," Goofy said, pointing at the floor. A tiny white rabbit—much tinier than any rabbit should have been—scurried across the tile where Donald's foot would have landed, until he reached the edge of the room and disappeared behind an equally tiny door.

"How did he get so small?" Sora asked, stepping over to the little wooden door that had a golden doorknob.

"Small? No, no, you're simply much too big," the doorknob replied.

Hikaru dropped her book on the floor. "What?" she said, rushing over and crouching down to get a better look. Sora, in the meantime, jerked back in surprise.

"It talked!" he said.

The doorknob yawned, opening its keyhole wide and smacking its… lips? "Must you be so loud?" it asked. "I was having a very enjoyable nap…"

"Err…" Sora scratched the back of his head. "Sorry?"

"Good mornin'," Goofy added.

"Good _night_," the doorknob replied, shutting its eyes.

"Wait! We need to ask you some questions!" Donald said. "We're looking for our friends, and—"

"Ask them later," came the somewhat annoyed reply. "First the girl, then the rabbit. How rude, interrupting a doorknob's nap and demanding it answer questions…"

"Girl?" Sora and Hikaru perked up at the same time. "What girl?"

"A young girl," the doorknob said. "Passed through here earlier today, asking all sorts of questions. Just like you're asking."

"What did she look like?" Sora asked.

"How should I know? I'm just a doorknob."

Donald huffed and crossed his arms, all the while grumbling under his breath. Goofy, on the other hand, rubbed his chin in thought. "D'you think it might be talking about one of your friends?"

"I dunno," Sora said. "Maybe it could be Kairi. Or your sister?" He looked to Hikaru.

She considered it for a moment before shrugging. "Maybe," she said. Yui was mostly past the age of being called a "young" girl, but she supposed a doorknob might not have been the best at telling a child from an adult.

"Hmm…" Sora turned back to the doorknob. "That girl might have been a friend we're looking for. Can you tell us how to get through, at least?"

"Check the table," it said simply.

They backed up, crowding around the table and looking at the two items that Hikaru was one hundred percent certain had not been there before. One was a glass bottle filled with some sort of creamy liquid. The other was a golden box.

"It says 'drink me'," Goofy said, picking up the bottle and squinting as he read the label.

"What's in there?" Sora asked as Hikaru opened up the box.

"Cookies," she said, holding it out as the heavenly smell of fresh baked goods wafted out from within. It was an assortment of sugar cookies shaped like squares and stars, each iced in a different color with the words "eat me" written in careful script.

"Oh, boy!" Donald reached out, grabbing a handful of cookies from the box. "Looks good."

"Uh, Donald," Goofy started to say. "D'you think that's—"

"Finders keepers," Donald said, crunching down on one of the cookies before Goofy could even finish his sentence. "Mm… It's pretty tast—WAH!" With a sudden jolt, Donald's entire body sprang to nearly double his size.

"Whoa!" Hikaru backed away, pressing herself flat against the wall as Donald's body grew bigger with every jolt, until he was all but towering over them. Donald's head bumped into the ceiling and he stumbled back, his feet slipping out from under him as he fell to the floor with an earth-shaking thud.

"Mmmph!" The doorknob gave a muffled cry as it tried to dislodge Donald's foot from its face. "The bottle! Use the bottle!"

"Err, right!" Sora said. He climbed over Donald's ankle back to the table, reaching for the bottle. Thankfully it had survived in one piece. "Donald, here!"

Donald didn't even complain. He grabbed the bottle from Sora, uncorking the top with some difficulty and taking a gulp of its contents. For a moment, nothing happened. Then like an elastic band snapping into place, Donald's body shrunk in less than a blink of an eye. Only…

"Too tiny!" Donald shouted, his voice just a squeak as he stomped his feet and stared up at them from the ground. He wasn't even half a foot tall. "Confounded food! Goofy, help me fix this!"

"Wait," Hikaru said. She crouched down, grabbing the bottle from the spot it had fallen and glancing to the doorknob, which seemed relieved that Donald's webbed foot was no longer squishing its face. "I think you can fit through the door now. We can use this, right?"

"You mean, drink to shrink?" Goofy asked.

"And eat to… uh…" Sora scratched his chin. "Huh… Eat to…"

"Ahyuck, are ya sure, Hikaru?" Goofy said. "D'you think it's safe?"

"Well, Donald tried it and he hasn't keeled over yet," Hikaru said, earning herself a glare from the miniature duck. "I'll test it out."

They watched her intently as she brought the bottle to her lips, and for a moment she hesitated, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. She took a deep breath. "Cheers," she said before hazarding a carefully sip.

It started with her skin prickling. The taste on her tongue was sweet, then tart, then savory, and then a hint of creamy. Cherry tart. Custard. Pineapple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast. Then she felt her insides twisting, her head going light, and with a rough jerk she felt her body shrink.

"Wow!" Sora said, crouching down and looking at Hikaru, who stood like a mouse on the floor, only half the size of Donald. "You're tiny!" He reached out with a finger, poking her—and nearly squishing her.

"Sora!" she gasped, swatting his finger away. "Be careful!"

"Sorry…"

"Heh." Donald chuckled as he looked down at her. "Well, look at the pipsqueak."

Hikaru sighed. "I'm used to being the short one at least," she muttered, crossing her arms. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and she spotted one of the cookies Donald had grabbed lying on the floor. _Hm… Maybe…_ She reached out, taking just a small chunk of crumbs and icing between her fingers and popping it into her mouth.

Wow, Donald was right. It was pretty goo—

"Ah!" Her body shot up, growing in a single bound until she was a mostly proper height in comparison to the duck. Donald's smirk slipped away, and he huffed again as Hikaru shot him a shit-eating grin that would have made her brothers proud. "It works!" she said, looking up at Sora and Goofy. "Just don't drink too much of it or else—"

A sudden chill rushed down her spine, making her heart stutter. She and Donald spun around just as three red Heartless appeared out of swirling portals of darkness behind them.

"Oh, great," Hikaru said with a grimace. The Heartless were shaped like bells, with strange yellow hats and a pair of chicken legs that dangled limply under their bodies. They didn't look all that intimidating at least, and they were scaled to their size conveniently enough; at least she didn't have to worry about giant Heartless running about.

"Hmp. Small fry," Donald said, readying his staff. "Should be easy. Stay back, kid."

"I got them," Hikaru said, her eyes narrowing. She dredged up the magical energy inside her until she could almost feel it sparking under her skin. "Fire!" she cried, letting loose a fireball from her hand at one of the Heartless.

But to her dismay, the attack seemed to wash over the red bell creature like it was nothing. It rang its body, chiming angrily as a glint entered its yellow eyes. And then all three of the Heartless rushed forward, shooting off their own balls of fire.

"CRAP!" Hikaru cried, breaking off into a run.

_Note to self: Fire does not work against the red ones!_

"Blizzard!" Donald shouted, swinging his wand forward. A blast of ice and snow shot from the end of his weapon, striking the Heartless and freezing them in mid-air.

Suddenly a boot-clad foot slammed into the ground, smashing the frozen Heartless like bugs. "You okay down there, Hikaru?" Goofy asked as he wiped the snow and shadowy wisps from the bottom of his shoe.

"Fine, thank you," Hikaru squeaked.

Donald chuckled. "Not as easy as you thought, eh, Hikaru? Hehehe…"

She glared at him. "I just… didn't expect that," she said, her cheeks burning. "Can we just move on, here?"

Sora and Goofy took turns sipping the bottle of mysterious shrinking liquid, getting just about the right height on the first go. They did a quick once-over, patting themselves down to make sure they were all in one piece, and checking their weapons too. Satisfied, all four of them started for the door, leaving behind a mess of broken cookies and spilled shrinking drink on the floor.

"Will you let us through now, Mr. Doorknob?" Goofy asked.

"Yes, if it means that I get a moment's rest." With that, the doorknob gave another wide yawn, and the door swung open.

* * *

There was a stranger in the forest.

Well, everyone in Wonderland was a little strange—and in all honesty it was probably more accurate to say it was more than a little. Strang_er_, in fact.

But this stranger was admittedly, undoubtedly, and _especially_ strange.

It was a woman, though not a woman at all like most who wandered the Tulgey Woods. All dark and dreary, and oh so terribly serious, dressed in black and purple robes, and a cowl shaped like horns. She walked without a noise, and appeared utterly unfazed by the countless curious eyes that watched her from the shadows. What was she doing here? Where was she going? Where had she come from? Each was a very valid question.

And each, certainly, with an answer that the Cheshire Cat already knew.

The only part of himself he showed as he appeared in front of her was his wide, faceless grin. "Looking for something?" he asked in a low drawl as this stranger from another world came to a careful stop. "Or rather… some_one_?"

* * *

A/N: We have officially started our first Disney world! This chapter gave me a bit of trouble, but mainly of my own doing because I allowed myself to get behind on writing until late. I definitely have to work on keeping ahead of schedule. But, I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway! It did take a bit to actually get to Wonderland, but I felt like there was a lot to wrap up in Traverse Town and things to establish with the gummi ship. The Wonderland segment so far was a little close to canon, but next chapter should have a bit of spicing things up.

So, how did you like the chapter? I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to drop a review!

Thanks for your kind reviews, everyone! It seriously makes me happy to know that you guys are enjoying this adventure. And to the anonymous reviewer TruSelf, that's the plan! If all things go well, RS should cover the series up to Kingdom Hearts 3! So I hope I can get that far, and I hope you all stick around to the end. :)

Also, since we have a longer gap between chapters than before, I'd like to give a particular shoutout for another great OC-centric Kingdom Hearts retelling you guys might enjoy. It's called **Keeper of the Keywielders** by BlissfulNightRain, and it centers around Sora's older sister Amaya and the adventure that ensues after the Destiny Islands are destroyed by the darkness. It's a fun read, so check it out!

Anyway, see you guys next time!


	10. The Cheshire Cat

5/17/19: Hey everyone, Tempura here, actually on time for the next chapter of RS! This one is going to be a ride.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 10: The Cheshire Cat

"_Can you tell me a story?"_

_It was a question Hikaru asked as her mother reached to turn off the lamplight. Luna Kannazuki paused, her fingers grasped around the metal cord._

"_It's late," Mam said. "Go to sleep."_

"_Please?" Hikaru said. She didn't want to go to sleep yet. Didn't want to say goodnight. She held her mother's sleeve with her blistered hands, staring at her with a fleeting hope in her big brown eyes._

_Mam held her gaze for several long moments as the wind outside rattled the windows. On the other side of the room, Yui shifted in her bed but did not wake up. "Fine," Mam said with a sigh. She settled back down at the edge of Hikaru's futon, bringing a knee to her chest. Hikaru sat up then, huddling close to her mother's arm._

_For several seconds, Mam remained quiet, staring off at something Hikaru couldn't see._

_And then her expression softened into something that wasn't so cold and hard. She lifted a hand to Hikaru's cheek—a touch so delicate and careful, like she was cradling a figurine made of glass. "I'll tell you a story… about an old friend," she said, and she began with the way she always started her stories._

"_Once upon a time, there was a boy…"_

… … …

… _who stumbled into a rabbit hole, and upon reaching the bottom found himself in a peculiar world. In this world, few things made sense. There were trees as small as flowers. Flowers as big as trees. It was a place where up meant down, and left meant right, and common sense really meant no sense at all._

_And of all the things made up of nonsense, the most nonsensical thing—and thus the thing that really made the most sense of everything—was a cat with a grin, and a song, and a simple request:_

_To find a beast called the Jabberwock, and slay it where it stood._

… … …

"_T'was brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe…"_

* * *

"Oh, dear… I think I must be lost."

The quiet remark came from somewhere near the forest floor. A bit of rustling followed, the noise of something tiny moving through the grass. Dew drops glistening in the streaks of sunlight that filtered through the dense canopy dripped off into the dirt as a tiny being reached out to clear a path in the grass with her bare hands. Though at first glance one might have expected something like a mouse, or perhaps a small lizard to be the source of the incessant skittering, the truth became apparent as the blades of grass parted to reveal the face of a young, and rather tired, blonde-haired girl.

"Hmm… Well, if I went this way… But no, I'm certain that's where I came from," the girl said to herself. She looked up at the trees that seemed so impossibly tall. The grass and flowers were more like properly sized trees, she thought—which could only mean that the trees must have been the size of mountains. Or perhaps it was she herself who had become much too small.

"Oh, I wonder how I should ever get home." She tapped a finger against her cheek as she thought. "Maybe there's someone I could ask?"

But there was no one there—no one except the buzzing rocking-horseflies and the numerous colorful flowers that bobbed in the light breeze. And she had already had enough personal experience to know that stuck-up flowers like those were of no help unless they thought you as pretty as them.

"Lost, are we?"

The girl turned around. "Who said that?"

"The question is not 'who'," the voice came again from somewhere above. "But rather, 'what'. Or perhaps 'why'. The 'who' of the matter is terribly unimportant."

The girl looked up. Almost immediately, her eyes landed upon a splash of pink and purple nestled atop a broken blade of grass. "Oh, a cat," she said, and the striped cat grinned in response. _How odd_, she thought, for its expression resembled that of a person's more than a cat's.

"A Cheshire Cat, if you will," he replied with a flick of his bushy tail.

"I've never heard of a Cheshire Cat before," she said. "What sort of cat is that?"

"One that is neither here, nor there," he said. "Unlike you, who _is_ here, but not quite _there_. At least, not yet—and that is a problem we can't leave unsolved. Now, if you are lost, then presumably you wish to be found."

"Not at all," the girl said. "I'm the one who wants to do the finding. To find my way home."

"Then I suppose it all shall depend on who does the proper finding first," the Cheshire Cat said. "If it's a way out of this world you wish to find, I would try that-a-way."

"That way?" the girl said as the Cheshire Cat pointed with his tail down a dirt path that cut through the grass. "What's down that way?"

"The way out, of course," the Cheshire Cat said as his grin widened. "One way or another, that is."

* * *

"Okay, this place… is really, _really_ weird." It wasn't the first time Sora had said it since they'd begun their journey through the tiny door, but he really wasn't wrong.

Hikaru trailed behind at the back of the group, glancing around at every rustle in the bushes or chittering in the treetops. Her boots scraped against the chalky red dirt path with every step—and with every step, she winced at the noise that seemed so out of place amidst the murmur of the woods.

She'd never seen a forest like this. The woodlands stretched before them, dark and endless and so utterly dense that the branches that clumped tightly together overhead blotted out any trace of the sun. One moment they had been in a fairly average-looking study; one shrinking potion, five short steps, and a mere doorway later, they found themselves in… Well, in _this_. Even the wilderness beyond the valleys of Hart's Haven had been a far cry from this place. Back on Polaris, the wild forests had often been dark during all the seasons aside from summer, and they had been dense and quiet and dangerous—but also breathtakingly beautiful.

_This place, though_, she thought as she scanned the wooden signs that were nailed to the colorful trees, _I don't know what to think of this place at all_.

"Gawrsh, we've been walkin' for a while, haven't we?" Goofy said. He took a moment to examine the signs too. Up, down, this way, that way, over yonder, under over… There must have been a hundred different signs, all pointed in different directions. Someone must have had too much time on their hands.

"I still don't know how we got outside," Sora said, his hands folded behind his head. "We were inside before, right? But there wasn't even a house. And that door was in a tree."

"This place is just a big backwards mess," Donald replied. "Someone has to be messing with us."

"It's like a weird dream," Sora said with a nod.

"More like a fever dream," Hikaru said as they came to a fork in the road. They paused in front of a rather large pink tree that had only two signs attached to it. "Right" and "left" were what they said, though both signs were pointed in the wrong directions.

Goofy scratched his chin. "Which way d'you think we should go?" he asked.

"The right way, of course," Hikaru said, cracking a grin.

"Which right way? The right-right way, or the wrong-right way?"

"I think it's better if we follow the left way," Sora said, pointing a finger at the sign labeled "left" that was pointing to the right.

"Hah-hah," Donald said flatly, crossing his arms.

"I'm serious," Sora said. "We want to find the right way to the Queen's place, right? But if we follow the sign that says "right", we'll be going left."

"I don't think that's how it works," Donald said.

"I dunno." Hikaru tilted her head as she sized up the signs and looked down the "left" right-hand path. It may have been nonsense, but surely it must have been logical nonsense. "It makes sense to me," she said at any rate.

"Of course it would," Donald grumbled under his breath.

Hikaru frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" she stared to say, her eyes narrowing in on the ruffled duck.

But she didn't get the chance to hear an answer. An icy chill washed over her, sending a sharp twinge into her chest that made her heart stutter. She jerked her head up, tightening her hold on her staff and staring off into the dark forest even though Donald had his mouth open mid-sentence with whatever snide remark he'd come up with to berate her next.

"Huh?" Donald stared at her when he saw her expression change. "What…?"

"Heartless!" she said, pointing.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all turned around to look. One by one, the swirling portals opened up along the right-handed path. Five helmeted Heartless sprang free from the darkness, clanking with every one of their clumsy steps.

Sora was the first to react. "These guys again!" he said, summoning his Keyblade in a flash. Donald and Goofy called forth their weapons too.

But the Heartless didn't even seem to notice them. The yellow-eyed creatures scrambled off in the opposite direction down the path, heading deeper into the forest without so much as a glance their way.

Hikaru felt her grip on her staff slackened. "Where are they going?" she asked as the sound of their clanking footsteps retreated beyond the trees.

"Wherever they're going, it can't be good news," Sora said. "Looks like we know which way to go!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy hurried down the path without hesitation, leaving Hikaru standing there alone in the middle of the forest. "Huh? Wait, hold up!" she called out.

Weren't they being a little hasty? Sure, maybe Donald and Goofy had the experience to handle this sort of thing, and maybe Sora wasn't afraid because he had that Keyblade-thing now, but Hikaru…

She shook her head. _Stop_, she told herself. _You're not allowed to think like that anymore_. This was what she'd asked for. She'd already embarrassed herself back in the study after getting chased down by those fiery Heartless. If she couldn't keep up, then all she would be doing was proving Donald right.

_At least they're not the red ones_, she thought as she pushed forward with her eyes trained on the path ahead of her. She supposed it was better to chase the Heartless, than to be the ones getting chased.

They ran until fatigue caught up with them. The Heartless had disappeared into the shadows of the woods and out of sight. The distant sound of clanking metal that echoed through the trees guided them forward, until even that noise faded away and left them only the sound of their own footsteps. All that was left to follow was a chalky red path—a path that ended abruptly at the entrance of a giant and rather out of place hedge wall.

Bright sunlight streamed through the gap in the hedge, and it took a few bleary blinks to adjust to the change in illumination. The other side seemed like a completely different world compared to the winding woods. A wide and grassy courtyard stretched before them, enclosed by an intricate maze of hedges that were adorned with topiary hearts. Rose bushes grew in clusters near the entrance—red roses, they appeared to be at first glance, but the petals seemed strangely wet and drippy.

_Paint?_ Hikaru thought as she lowered her gaze to the ground. An array of red footprints had been left in a sloppy trail across the grass. Someone had attempted to hide a can of red paint behind the bush, though the can had tipped over and spilled all over the ground. It honestly hadn't been a very good hiding spot.

"Now what's this place?" Donald said, shielding his eyes from the sun. He took a step forward, his bare feet crunching through the paint-stained grass and making him quack. He looked down and shook out his foot with a grumble. "Who left paint here?"

"Looks like a fancy place," Goofy said. "Would make a nice place to host parties."

"No sign of the Heartless though," Hikaru started to say, only to be interrupted when Sora gave a gasp.

"Hey, look!" he said. "Card men!"

"Cards?" Hikaru said, turning to look.

They really _were_ card men. Two giant playing cards with arms and legs and relatively humanoid faces marched into view around the corner of a hedge archway. One was a three of spades, wielding a long poleaxe over his shoulder. The other was a two of hearts, who held a red spear as his weapon.

Sora laughed. "Wow, that's so weird."

"Neat," was all Hikaru could muster. She was pretty sure that by the time they were ready to leave this world, nothing would surprise her anymore.

"D'you think they might've seen those Heartless?" Goofy asked. Before anyone could answer, though, he lifted a hand to wave. "Excuse me! Hello!" he called out.

The card men jumped to attention. "Halt! Who goes there!" the three of spades said, turning to look at them.

"Hooligans!" the two of hearts cried. "Come to cause trouble, have you? I'll not have trespassers coming into the royal courtroom and disturbing the peace!"

"Wait, courtroom?" Sora looked around. "But… this is a court_yard_, not a room."

"It is the Queen of Heart's royal court," the two of hearts said. "And if she says it's a room… it's a room."

"Whoa, wait, back up." Donald shook his head. "Courtroom or not, we're not here to cause trouble! We just wanted to ask the Queen some questions."

"The Queen is very busy!" the three of spades said. "_We'll_ be the ones asking questions, hooligans! You're coming with us!"

"Oh, great," Hikaru muttered, taking a step back. She glanced over her shoulder back the way they came as the card soldiers readied their weapons. The creepy forest was starting to look a lot more appealing right about now…

But then Goofy jolted suddenly. "Over there!" he said, pointing past the card soldiers.

A helmeted Heartless scrambled along the top of one of the hedge walls, smearing red paint over the leaves with its feet before leaping down and disappearing from view on the other side.

A moment later, a high-pitched scream rang out over the courtyard, making them all jump.

_That sounded like… a girl?_ Hikaru thought.

The card soldiers gasped. "The Queen!" they cried in unison. They charged back across the courtyard without so much as a second glance back.

"Quick, after them!" Sora said, charging after the card men and the Heartless with his Keyblade propped over his shoulder. This time, Hikaru didn't hesitate to follow.

* * *

Clashing metal. Blades against armor. The sound of crunching wood, of panicked cries, and a woman's angry bellowing over all of it—

"GET THEM! GET THEM, YOU FOOLS!"

Hikaru and the others followed the red footprints and the sounds of battle until they finally came across the source of the noise. In the middle of the garden, dozens of card soldiers scrambled around, tripping over each other and flopping against the grass as they dove at the Heartless wreaking havoc throughout the courtyard. The helmeted Heartless leaped across the wooden stands and podiums, lashing out with their claws while multicolored flamingos squawked and fled for safety. Even the white rabbit was there, hiding under an upturned chair.

And in the center of it all was a child-sized Heartless, black and red like a jester with a pair of batons raised in its paper-thin hands as it closed in on a plump woman in identical colors hiding behind a young blonde-haired girl.

Hikaru's eyes widened. _Oh, crap!_

"S-stop it!" the girl said nervously, waving a green flamingo by its legs at the jester Heartless as she took a step back. "It's not nice to break things that aren't yours! You and your… friends… should leave right this instant!"

"Look out!" Goofy shouted. He pulled his arm back and swung, hurling his shield across the garden. The shield collided with a thunk against the Heartless's long head. The Heartless spun around, glowering at them with half a dozen pairs of glowing yellow eyes from the tower of faces that made up its head.

Sora stepped forward, clutching the Keyblade in both of his hands while Hikaru and Donald came up at his sides with their spells ready. "You're not causing any more trouble!" Sora cried.

The diminutive jester Heartless stared at them without moving. Hikaru watched with caution, all the muscles in her body braced for the creature's next move as the seconds ticked by. Her fingers began to tingle from the fire flickering in her palm. The Heartless spun its batons once, rising up on its double-boned legs and lifting its arms into the air…

Then it ran away, charging straight through the hedge wall with its arms flailing behind it. Hikaru nearly dropped her staff as she watched the other helmeted Heartless scramble off after the jester through the hole in the hedge. "Uh…"

"What… the heck just happened?" Sora asked, lowering his Keyblade and staring in the direction the Heartless fled. Donald and Goofy exchanged a confused look.

"Gods only know," Hikaru said. But she wasn't going to complain. "At least they're gone." She winced as the fire went out in her hand. She glanced down at the blisters that had begun to form on her fingers. _Ahh… Great. Just great_. She shook out her hand in an attempt to brush off the stinging pain and turned to the blonde-haired girl. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," the girl said with a nod. She straightened up, setting the green flamingo down and letting it run off. Even though she looked to be Tatsuya's age—only maybe ten or eleven at the oldest—she stood just a few inches shorter than Hikaru and Sora. "Thank you. I wasn't sure what I—"

"HOLD IT!" She was cut off when the woman standing behind her stepped forward and shoved her out of the way. The woman was dressed in rather fancy attire, and a small crown sat atop her head of black hair. "You shall first address _me_, the Queen, in her own royal court," she snapped, waving around a heart-shaped scepter in Hikaru's face.

Hikaru leaned back. "The… The Queen?" she repeated, her eyes going wide. This woman was _the Queen_?

There was a bit of scuffling on the ground. The white rabbit scrambled out from under his hiding place, gasping for air as he rushed over. "Announcing Her Grace, Her Excellency, Her Majesty… the Queen of Hearts!" he wheezed.

Hikaru glanced to Sora, Donald, and Goofy—the former just looked confused, while the latter two quickly straightened their backs to attention. _Oh… Oh, crap_. "I-I'm sorry," she said hastily, pressing her arms flat against her sides. The last thing she wanted to do was piss off royalty. "I didn't realize—"

"No stammering!" the Queen snapped, her booming voice making Hikaru recoil.

"E… Excuse me?"

"Stand _straight_!" The Queen jabbed her in the chest hard with her scepter, nearly throwing her off balance. "Such posture doesn't fit a young lady, and I won't have such sloppiness in my garden!"

Hikaru winced, brows creasing as she rubbed the sore spot on her chest. Was… Was this woman serious? The courtyard had just been menaced by a group of yellow-eyed monsters, and the Queen was more concerned about Hikaru's _posture_? "I'm… sorry?" she said, exchanging a bewildered and somewhat terrified look with Sora and the others. "I didn't mean—"

"SILENCE!" the Queen shouted, and Hikaru felt the blood drain from her cheeks. "Young lady, you would do well to listen instead of wasting your breath on useless words." The Queen stepped forward, tapping her scepter against her open palm. "There is a proper way to address the Queen. Back straight! Toes out! Mouth open! And then you curtsy and say 'Yes, Your Majesty'!"

Hikaru's eyes widened. "I… I'm sorry," she said again, stepping back and swallowing the lump in her throat as she eyed the scepter. "I… I didn't meant to offend. Your Majesty," she added quickly when she saw the Queen's eyes narrow.

"Of course. Of course you didn't, you poor naïve thing." The Queen came to a stop in front of her, head held high and chest puffed out. Then she reached out, making Hikaru flinch—but all the Queen did was pat her on the head. "Now, try it again. Back straight—toes out—mouth open—and…"

Hikaru felt her cheeks burn as she averted her gaze. "Yes… Your Majesty," she said weakly, bowing her head.

That seemed to please the Queen. "Better, better… Yes, very good," she said, the anger vanishing completely from her face. She reached out to pat Hikaru on the head again.

And again, Hikaru flinched. Her clenched hands trembled as her whole face burned. She didn't lift her head, even when the Queen removed her hand and stepped away.

Footsteps came behind her, light in the grass. "Hikaru?" Sora whispered as he edged forward. "Are… Are you okay?"

She couldn't bring herself to speak. All she could do was nod.

"Now, I shall be asking the questions here," the Queen said, smoothing out the loose strands in her tangled hair. "Who is it that has chased off those foul beasts?"

Goofy hesitated, glancing to Donald and Sora. "Uh… That would be us, Your Majesty," he said slowly. "We were chasing those Heartless when we heard a scream—"

"Goofy!" Donald whispered, jabbing him in the side with his elbow. Goofy gasped, clapping his hands over his mouth. But it was too late.

"Heartless?" the Queen repeated, her eyes widening. "Heartless? As in, without a _heart_?"

"Yeah," Sora said. "The Heartless steal hearts."

Donald groaned. "Sora, order!"

"Oh! … Oops…"

"Heartless steal hearts?" The Queen seemed aghast at the thought. "Then surely those beasts must have been after _my_ heart! The Queen of Hearts' heart! And how DARE they! An assault on the Queen is punishable by death! CARDS! I demand that you find those criminal beasts at once! Bring them to me so we may be off with their heads!"

"B-b-but Your Grace," a nine of diamonds stuttered as he helped a seven of clubs off of the ground. "Those creatures took out an entire suit!"

"Do you _dare_ defy me?" she growled. "IMBECILES! If you won't do it, then it'll be off with YOUR heads!" She turned, rounding on Sora and the others. Her face had begun to turn red in her shouting. "You! You will go after those creatures instead!"

"Uhh… But…" Sora started to say.

"Sora, don't argue!" Donald hissed before turning to the Queen. "Yes, yes, we'll go do that. Let's go, now!" He shoved Sora forward and grabbed Hikaru by the arm, forcing both of them through the gaping hole left in the hedge.

* * *

"Whew," Donald said, wiping the sweat from his forehead once they were far enough away from the Queen that her angry tirade was just a distant echo over the garden. He glanced back over his shoulder through one of the many holes torn into the hedge maze by the fleeing Heartless. "That lady was crazy!"

"She's not like Queen Minnie at all," Goofy agreed, almost hiding behind his shield as he spoke.

"Hikaru?" Sora said. He took a hesitant step forward. "Are you okay?"

Hikaru didn't answer at first. She was crouched on the ground, chin resting against her arms as she stared blankly at the hedge wall opposite her. She hadn't said a word—not since Donald had pushed them out of the garden. And thank the gods there were gone. If she'd had to stay in that garden with that Queen another minute…

Her cheeks burned again just at the thought, and she clenched her hands into fists. She should have said something. Done something. _Anything_. Anything rather than letting herself be pushed around like that! All she could remember was the Queen's bellowing voice, and those strikes with that scepter, like she was nothing more than an untrained animal being punished for disobedience.

But she hadn't known what to do. She _never_ knew what to do. Because what _could_ she do when someone was shouting in her face like that, barking orders at her like that? Nothing—the answer was nothing. Just sit back and take it, and pray that things would end quickly, all while hoping she would disappear on the spot, just like all those times when she was a kid and had to listen to all of that shouting—

Because now she couldn't get it out of her head—the shouting, shouting, _shouting_, gods how she'd _hated_ that shouting—

_"You don't understand, Liam!"_

_"Are you joking, Luna? I don't understand? Why don't you _enlighten_ me, then? Because there's absolutely no reason to keep treating her like _that_!"_

_"You don't know _anything_!"_

_"It doesn't matter what I know! She's your _daughter_—"_

Hikaru moved without thinking. She slammed her left fist into the ground, sending a bolt of pain through her knuckles as she dug her fist deeper and deeper into the dirt and grass, until the pain became too much to bear.

Then she blinked, and she stopped, and just like that, her anger drained away. Her shoulders dropped, and her head went light, and she fell back onto her rear, suddenly exhausted. She looked at her hands, at the blood that was welling up from the cuts and blisters in her skin. Her left hand throbbed, a deep ache that traced the lines left when she'd once broken the bones within.

_Stop_, she told herself._ Stop being a baby._ It didn't matter. There was nothing she could have done. _Don't think about it. Forget it ever happened. Just suck it up, and calm down_.

Calm.

She crammed those voices back into the furthest corners of her mind, and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice level as she pushed herself up to her feet.

The others stared at her. Donald watched one eyebrow raised as he crossed his arms. Sora, though, seemed more than a little concerned and confused.

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "You seem… kind of upset."

"I'm fine," Hikaru said again. She sniffed once, clearing her nose and wiping her eyes. "I'm okay. Just… a little shaken. Thank you."

Sora stared at her a few more moments before slowly bobbing his head. He took her answer without another question. She caught the look Goofy shot her, though—the blatant worry in his expression, and the way he seemed ready to ask about the things Hikaru didn't want to think about anymore.

Her salvation, though, came with a quiet voice. "Um, excuse me?"

Hikaru looked up, only to find a familiar face peer through the gap in the hedge wall—a face she was quite glad to see, because it meant they had other things to focus on for now.

It was the blonde girl in the blue dress from the courtyard. "I was wondering if it would be alright if I came with you four?" she asked.

"What?" Donald blinked. "Sorry, we're on a mission right now. We can't bring any stragglers with us. It's too dangerous. You should go back."

"Oh, but I can't," the girl said. She climbed through the hedge, shaking out her dress when the hem caught on the broken branches. "That Queen is so utterly dreadful, always threatening to behead someone and flying into a rage at a moment's notice. I can't spend another minute with her! I just want to find my way home, and you seem a good deal more reliable than anyone else in this strange place."

Well, Hikaru had to sympathize with that. This was definitely a strange place, and she certainly wouldn't want anyone to spend time with that awful woman.

"Aw, come on, Donald," Sora said, crossing his arms. "You saw what that Queen was like. We really can't leave her alone in there."

"Sora, we can't just keep picking up every lost kid we come across," Donald said, hands on his hips as he tapped his foot on the ground. Hikaru's eyes narrowed at that implication, though the duck didn't notice. "We have an actual job to do here."

"Yeah, but…"

"Y'know, I think Sora might be right," Goofy said, taking a step forward. "Let's let her come along, at least until we're out of this courtyard."

Donald seemed a bit taken aback. "Goofy…" he said, a frown crossing his face. The canine man, though, just walked over to the blonde-haired girl and offered a friendly smile.

"I'm Goofy. This here is Donald, and that's Sora and Hikaru. We'd be happy to take you somewhere safer than here. What's your name?"

"My name's Alice," the girl replied. "And thank you for letting me come along. I think I've been in this place long enough."

"You said you wanted to get home?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh, yes. I don't quite know how I wound up here—I fell through a rabbit hole and suddenly found myself in this place. I've been wandering around for quite some time."

"Rabbit hole?" Hikaru tilted her head to the side. _Wait a second…_

"Does that mean you're from another world?" Sora asked.

"Another world?" Alice repeated, a curious glint entering her blue eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Err… Nothing," Sora said, scratching his head and giving a sheepish smile when Donald shot him a death glare. So much for not meddling. At this point, Hikaru was just glad it wasn't her. "So, are we actually going to do what that Queen said?" Sora asked.

"Well, we should go after the Heartless anyway," Donald said. "Even if the Queen is crazy, those things are the real trouble."

"So much for asking questions about the King," Goofy remarked.

"But how will we find them?" Sora asked. "This place is huge!"

Hikaru at least knew the answer to that. "Just follow the trail," she said, gesturing at the ground. "Look." Red footprints still stained the grass all along the pathway, leading past the hedges and over to an exit in the maze.

"That goes to the Lotus Forest," Alice said as she looked to the exit. "At least, I think it does. Oh, maybe that cat is still there!" She started off before any of them could react.

"Alice, wait!" Donald said. "It's dangerous! Gah…" He sighed. "Come on, let's make sure she doesn't get hurt…" He and Sora rushed off after her. Hikaru managed to make it a few steps forward too, before a call of her name made her stop.

"Hikaru," Goofy said. "Are you sure you're…?"

"I'm fine. Really," Hikaru said. She managed a smile, even though her face felt tired and stiff. "Don't worry. We have more important things to focus on right now."

Goofy didn't seem to buy it, but Hikaru didn't give him the time to ask again. She just hurried after Sora and Donald out of the maze.

* * *

The forest that awaited them was nothing at all like the dark woods they had traveled through earlier. This forest was bright and open, far more open than it had any right to be. The puddles in the dirt looked more like ocean-sized lakes, stretching far and wide between the tall grass, while the trees stood like skyscrapers, taller than even the buildings Hikaru had seen when she'd lived on Akhfa.

Or at least in their current height, it seemed that way. Hikaru was sure things would have seemed much more average if they had been their regular sizes.

"This is going to take a while," Sora remarked, pausing mid-step and taking a sweeping look around the forest as he scratched his head.

"Alice!" Donald had stopped a few paces ahead of them, calling out with his hands cupped around his bill to the blonde-haired girl who had stopped at the edge of the tall grass. "Wait, come back!"

Alice, though, didn't seem like she was about to run off again. She looked around, lifting a finger to her cheek as she thought. "I wonder where he could be…"

"Gawrsh, Alice, you should be a little more careful," Goofy said, walking over towards her. "The Heartless could be anywhere."

He was right. The already fading paint trail had ended abruptly at a muddy puddle on the forest floor. Wherever the Heartless had gone, it wasn't going to be easy to find them.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alice said, turning to Goofy. "I was just hoping that cat would still be here."

"A cat?" Hikaru tilted her head to the side. She glanced around, her eyes catching on a giant tulip as it swayed in the breeze. _Flowers as big as trees…_ _A place where up meant down, and left meant right, and common sense really meant no sense at all_. The only thing missing now was…

"Looking for me?"

The drawling voice made Hikaru jolt. She spun around, only to come face to face with a pair of yellow eyes and a disembodied smile. "AH!" She jerked back, stumbling over her own feet and falling on her butt into the mud.

Donald gave a quack of alarm. "A face?!"

The grinning face swayed, turning to look at Donald. "And everything else!" it said. A head seemed to dissolve into view around the floating eyes and mouth, followed by the rest of its chubby body. Thick magenta fur marked with stripes covered every inch of its body, from its pointy ears to the tip of its fluffy tail.

Hikaru scrambled back to her feet. "A grinning cat?" she said, staring at the strange being with wide eyes.

"A Cheshire Cat," Alice corrected.

"Indeed!" the cat replied. He floated around, propping his head against his paw while his tail propelled him through the air as if he were swimming through water. "And what is it that the Cheshire Cat can do for you? I thought you were paying a visit to the Queen, Alice."

"Well, I was," she said, "but the Queen of Hearts is horrible. All she can talk about it beheading people, and everything must be her way or she'll lose her temper!"

"So mad it's like she's lost her own head?" The Cheshire Cat laughed. "But you know, she isn't the only one. We all lose our heads from time to time. Especially me!" He swept his tail over his body, vanishing everything until only his head remained. "_T'was brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe…_"

"_All the mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe_," Hikaru sang along under her breath.

Sora blinked, turning to look at her. "You know that song?" he asked.

Hikaru only managed a hesitant shrug before she was interrupted by the Cheshire Cat's clapping paws—paws that floated free of any body. "Wonderful," the Cheshire Cat said. "Absolutely maddeningly wonderful! It isn't very often that one comes across another knowledgeable of a good song. Perhaps… Have we ever met before?"

"No," Hikaru said, shaking her head. _But I wonder…_

"Hm. Well, all you humans look alike." The Cheshire Cat scratched his chin with one of his disembodied paws.

Donald grimaced. "What the heck is this cat?" he asked, leaning in to whisper to Goofy, who simply shrugged in response.

"What am I?" the Cheshire Cat said, turning to face Donald, who quacked in alarm. The Cheshire Cat flipped over, his body fading back into existence, starting with his stripes. "What am I? What a question! Perhaps you could say… that I am the eyes and ears—and the teeth—of this place." His grin widened as he wiggled his teeth, letting them wobble back and forth like ivory piano keys. "Now, Alice… Should you not be off to somewhere safe? The Heartless are no friend to you, and they're lurking in the shadows of this forest."

"You know about the Heartless?" Sora asked.

"The Cheshire Cat knows all. Or at least, a lot," he replied smugly.

"Well, I was simply going to follow along with these people," Alice said. "They seem kind enough. They protected me when those yellow-eyed creatures appeared in the Queen's courtyard. Where else would I go?"

"Can you think of nowhere? Or somewhere?"

"Hmm…" Alice paused. "Oh! There was that tea party by the big tree. Would that be safe?"

"It is a place, certainly," the Cheshire Cat said. "Come! I shall accompany you."

"Wait, hold on," Donald said, crossing his arms and squinting. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"It is up to you," the Cheshire Cat said with a shrug as he flipped upside down. "I trust you to handle those shadowy creatures. Speaking of which, there they go now." He pointed with his foot.

"Huh?" They all turned around, just in time to see a whole squad of helmeted Heartless sliding down a blade of grass with their claws grasping for a terrified frog that was busy trying to hop away. The Heartless, however, stopped in their tracks and turned to look at them instead.

"Uh-oh!" Sora said, summoning his Keyblade. He took a step forward, but hesitated as he glanced over his shoulder back to Alice. "The cat's right. We need to get her somewhere safe."

"Worry not! I'll show dear Alice the way to get far away from here," the Cheshire Cat said.

Donald made a skeptical noise in his throat. "I don't know…"

"You guys handle the Heartless," Hikaru said. Sora and the others blinked, looking at her. But she turned instead to the Cheshire Cat, who stared at her with an unsettlingly knowing look on his still grinning face. "I'll go with them."

_Because there's something I wanted to ask._

* * *

Hikaru didn't slow down until she was sure Alice was safe—relatively safe, at any rate, and far from any Heartless wandering the open forest. They followed a narrow path that cut through the grass under the surveillance of the Cheshire Cat, who vanished and reappeared as often as he pleased to point them in roughly the right direction.

"Three trees? Or was it a tea tree? Certainly there was tea, and a tree, but perhaps not three. Not yet, at least," the Cheshire Cat's voice echoed all around them as he followed their steps like a haunting ghost.

"How are you holding out, Alice?" Hikaru asked as she trudged through the mud. She was starting to feel pretty tired herself.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you," Alice said. She raised the hem of her dress as she hopped over the mud, her feet landing light on the tiny flat stepping stones. Despite all that had happened so far, Hikaru was at least glad that Alice didn't seem scared. If Hikaru had been in her place at that age, she was almost certain that she would have been terrified.

Actually, she did know that. For a fact.

"I'm doing well myself," the Cheshire Cat's voice rang out. "So well, in fact, you could even say 'spring' or perhaps 'waterhole.' _And, as in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock with eyes of flame, came whiffling through the tulgey wood, and burbled as it came!_"

"Cheshire Cat, you keep singing that song," Alice said as they ducked through a hollowed out log dotted with mushrooms. "What does it mean?"

The Cheshire Cat materialized on a red toadstool at the opening of the log, right at the edge of a puddle. "Well, what do you think it should mean?"

"I honestly haven't the slightest idea."

_Same here_, Hikaru thought. She'd heard the song before, back when her mother used to tell her bedtime stories; it hadn't made sense then, and it didn't make sense now.

She'd always liked those stories, though. It was one of those rare times where Mam seemed to relax, and when she wasn't so… stern. Hikaru could easily get lost in the worlds her mother crafted with her words—bizarre lands where nothing made sense, or vast oceans inhabited by curious sea creatures, or a world of springtime gardens dense with beautiful flowers and pristine waters that reflected a soft sunset sky.

And they would always be about the same nameless boy. The one Mam called an old friend.

A fragrant smell wafted through the air, strong and herby like freshly brewed tea, and sweet and warm like cookies baking in the oven. They were getting close it seemed—and it was made apparent when a small cottage and a festive tea party nestled away in the roots of the biggest tree came into view.

"Hello Mr. Hatter!" Alice called out as she pushed open the wooden gate to the garden. "Mr. Hare!"

"Ohh, it's you, little girl!" An old man with an enormous green top hat waved at her from a big cushiony chair at the end of the long and cluttered table. He and a twitchy brown rabbit were the only guests at the tea party. "Brought some friends, have you?"

"Oh, yes." Alice nodded. "This is Hikaru, and somewhere around here is the Cheshire Ca—" She broke off abruptly, holding a hand over her mouth. "Well, you know. The Cheshire C-A-T?"

"The what?"

"Never mind." Alice walked over to the table and took a seat.

They seemed keen on setting a place for Hikaru to join them too, but she declined politely when the Hare offered her a literal half cup of lukewarm black tea. (She wasn't even sure how the tea was staying inside of the cup.) "Just wait here, okay, Alice?" she said. "I'll go check to see how the others are doing. We'll be back once it's safe."

Alice nodded. "I'll save you some cake."

Hikaru smiled. Though she wasn't sure she would be willing to eat anything else from this world after the cookies, the thought was nice. She departed the tea party with a wave, letting the garden gate swing shut behind her.

"Cheshire Cat?" she said after a moment.

There was a long silence, broken by only the sound of the wind rustling the treetops and Hikaru's boots sinking in the mud as she walked. Then the Cheshire Cat appeared before her, sprawled out midair on his back with his paws stretching for the bright blue sky. "Not in the mood for tea?" he asked, pretending to tip an invisible tea cup against his mouth.

"No time," Hikaru replied. Even though she was sure Sora could handle the Heartless with Donald and Goofy at his side, she figured it wouldn't be a good idea to dawdle. "I wanted to ask you something."

"'Something' is an awfully strange question," the cat said.

"No, that's not what I…" Hikaru paused, shaking her head. "My mam used to tell me a story about you," she said. "At least, I think it was about you. You and an old friend of hers."

"Oh? I do hope it was a good story." The Cheshire Cat batted his eyelids.

"Do you remember ever meeting a boy who came here?" she asked.

"I've met plenty of people," he said. "As well as non-people, and fragments, and figments. Many have passed through Wonderland—in waking, and in dreams. But no one stays for long, and I've lost my head enough times to forget!"

"In my mam's story, a grinning cat tells the boy about something called a Jabberwock," she said. "Does that sound familiar?"

"Mm… Does it?" The Cheshire Cat tilted his head to the side as he looked at her. It took a moment for her to realize she was doing the same thing herself. "I've told many about the Jabberwock. It's my favorite song, after all! _T'was brillig_—"

Hikaru frowned. She'd hoped that the Cheshire Cat might have been able to tell her something—or anything, really. This world was connected to her home, as uncertain a connection as it may have been, built on the few and fleeting words her mother had spoken when Hikaru had been a child.

_It was just a story. Or at least, that's what I thought back then. But somehow, at least some part of it is real_.

"_And with a swing of his sword,"_ her mother's voice echoed in her ears,_ "the boy struck the wretched monster in the heart… and the Jabberwock fell dead."_

"What is a Jabberwock, exactly?" she asked as the Cheshire Cat sang and pounced across the red toadstools poking out of the grass.

The Cheshire Cat paused. He looked over at her, a different glint entering his wide-eyed stare. "Oh, you don't know?" he asked.

Hikaru shook her head.

"Well, now that won't do at all!" the Cheshire Cat said, lifting a paw. "Would you like to see one?"

Hikaru stared at the place he pointed to—a wide lake-like puddle pooled at the edge of the path. "It's… there?" she said. _Right there?_

"Yes… And no. The Jabberwock is always there, even when it isn't. Sometimes, it hides." The Cheshire Cat floated over to the water, beckoning her over. "Come, take a look. I promise it won't bite."

Hikaru stared for a few more moments, her legs locking up as her mind raced. Seeing the creature for herself was not at all what she had intended when she'd asked the cat her question. Surely it was foolish and dangerous idea. "N-no," she said, shaking her head and taking a step back. "I'm good."

Something bumped into her back. She turned around, seeing the Cheshire Cat behind her now. "Frightened, are we?" He chuckled, a soft chuckle first, slowly rising in volume and pitch until he was all but rolled over on his back with laughter. Hikaru frowned, her brows creasing.

_Crazy cat_, she thought, stepped around him and starting back down the path. What else should she have expected from a world like this?

"Have it your way," the Cheshire Cat called after her. And then his voice dropped. "I suppose you won't be needing this, then?"

Hikaru blinked. She spun around to find the Cheshire Cat floating there, her pocket watch dangling from his claws. "Huh?!" She patted down her pockets, her heart skipping a beat when she found them empty. "You! Give that back!"

"Such fine craftsmanship," the Cheshire Cat said. His demeanor seemed to have changed; the whimsical grin on his face turning into something a little more… sinister. "And what a powerful enchantment." He held the watch to his ear and gave it a little shake. "Like the light of a pole star gleaming in the night sky."

"Cat," Hikaru said, taking a step forward. "Give that back. It's important. My mam gave that to me."

"I wonder where else this trinket might lead you." The Cheshire Cat spun her pocket watch around. Hikaru lunged forward. The Cheshire Cat vanished, and Hikaru landed face-first in the mud as her pocket watch went flying.

Right into the water.

_Gods damned cat!_ Hikaru shoved herself back to her feet, wiping the mud from her face with her arm. She scrambled to the water's edge, spotting her pocket watch just under the surface of the shallow water.

"Oh, what an accident," the Cheshire Cat said, materializing behind her.

She snatched her watch out of the puddle, flipping it open and letting the water drain out. Holding it up to her ear, she listened to the turning of the gears, only breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that everything was still working as it should. "Grr…!" She turned around, her left hand balled into a fist as she swung at the cat.

Her punch, however, just phased through his body. "Temper, temper," he said. "It's best to watch it, you know. The Jabberwock feeds off of it."

Hikaru's eyes widened. "Jabberwock?" she said, recoiling from the edge of the water. But then she paused, her brows furrowing. The water wasn't nearly deep enough to hide a beast. She hesitated a moment before leaning forward to peer into the puddle. "I don't see anything," she said. Just the hazy shape of her own reflection in the muddy water.

"Because it's may still be sleeping," the Cheshire Cat said over her shoulder. "Sometimes, we first have to take a dive."

"What—" Hikaru felt a paw shove against her back. She only managed a gasp as she fell through the surface of the water.

* * *

Every inch of Hikaru's body screamed. She thrashed, her muscles spasming as the frigid water surged into her mouth and all her air escaped in a storm of bubbles. She grasped through the deep blue, her hands shooting out towards the surface and colliding with a sheet of ice.

_No…!_ She pounded her fist against the ice, so sluggish and slow through the drag of the water. _No, no, no!_

"Well, what do we have here?" the Cheshire Cat's low purr came at her ear. Hikaru turned around, coming face to face with a pair of eyes as blue and clear as the cold water. The Cheshire Cat's fur had taken on a different color under the light that filtered through the ice, his pinks and the purples muted and warped until all that was left was a dull gray and blue. "Let me help you with that."

The world tipped. Hikaru could feel it in her head, the pull of gravity that began to shift. Her body hit the ice, her cheek pressing flat against the cold surface as the roar of rushing water surged past her ears. The water drained away, and suddenly she was lying down on the surface of the ice and gasping for air.

"W-what…?" Hikaru coughed up a mouthful of water before she shoved herself back to her feet. Above her and around her was nothing—just a void of darkness in all directions, and a circular platform of ice rising from the abyss below her feet.

She rounded on the sneering cat, her whole body shaking as she snarled through chattering teeth. "W-what the hell d-did you do you son of a—"

"Hikaru," a voice called.

Her heart nearly stopped. She spun around towards the voice, reaching out with her scraped and bloody hand. "Yui…?"

It didn't make sense. The tall and slender red-haired figure stood on the other side of the platform, staring off into the dark sky. All Hikaru could see was the back of her head. Her hair was like copper, not dyed black anymore, and cropped close to the neck—much shorter than the last time Hikaru had seen her.

But when the young woman turned around, Hikaru realized she was wrong. It wasn't Yui. She recognized this person from all of the photographs in Uncle James's house, the photos taken years ago, back before Hikaru had even been born. "… Mam?" she whispered.

The young Luna stared at her with her piercing green eyes. She couldn't have been more than a few years older than Hikaru. She wore a uniform—a soldier's uniform, navy blue and fastened together by golden buttons, and emblazoned on the chest with a symbol like a red heart. "And of all the things made up of nonsense, the most nonsensical thing," she said, her voice trembling as she spoke, "was a cat with a grin, and a song, and a simple request."

"Oh?" The Cheshire Cat hovered over Hikaru's shoulder. "My, my… What an awful lot to have locked away in your head."

"What…?" Hikaru stepped back. "What is…?"

Pain exploded in her chest.

She gasped, buckling over, clutching at her frantic heart. Pain—agonizing pain—like a knife sinking deep into her chest. Her legs gave out from under her, her hands hitting the ground as she choked and heaved. The whole world began to spin, blurring at the edges of her vision as she clawed at the all-consuming white of the ice beneath her fingers.

Footsteps scraped against the ice in front of her. All she saw was a pair of narrow, knee-high black boots come to a stop before her face. She struggled to lift her head.

The ice shattered, and Hikaru plummeted through the broken surface into the water. She sunk, her vision beginning to blur as the darkness of the depths closed in around her.

The last thing she saw was a glimpse of a boy with golden hair staring down at her through the cracked and broken ice. Then everything went dark.

* * *

A/N: Well. That was a chapter.

I have to admit, this chapter gave me such a hard time. (My beta reader can attest to that!) Wonderland itself is a bit of a challenge in general, I tend to find, just because of the nonsensical aspect of the source material. And this chapter's length quickly got away with itself. I was intending to wrap up Wonderland this chapter, but it looks like we'll be sticking around a little while longer.

So, given all of that... What do you think? Feel free to drop a review and let me know! Feedback is always appreciated.

And I'd like to give a humongous thank you to all the reviewers who popped in between last chapter and this one! It's great to hear all of your thoughts on the story so far.

See you next time!


	11. The Trickmaster

6/2/19: Hello everyone, Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch, just barely on time for my upload schedule (thank goodness)! Today we continue with our adventure in Wonderland.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 11: The Trickmaster

The Cheshire Cat was a patient creature. Time, he'd realized, was a wholly overrated concept, and for one such as himself, it was hard to muster any real sense of urgency. But simply waiting had never been his strong suit—and he was admittedly becoming rather bored waiting next to the Red-Haired Girl's unresponsive body. After a few more moments of listening to the dewdrops plop into the water, the Cheshire Cat gave her nose a not-so-gentle prod—to which he received no response.

He was beginning to wonder if he'd broken her.

"Oh, well," he said. Such a shame, really. And here, he'd just started having fun.

A soft swishing noise skimmed across the ground behind him, making his ears perk and the fur along his spine stand on end. "What do we have here?" a woman's cold voice came.

The woman in the black robes made her way down the path at a casual pace, almost gliding over the ground with how quietly she moved.

"Ah, our other visitor," the Cheshire Cat said. "So _many_ visitors wandering Wonderland today! It has the Cheshire Cat stretched in all sorts of directions." He pulled at his limbs to demonstrate, until his paws popped clean off of his body. He drifted over to the woman, peering between the horns of her cowl. "Haven't you overstayed your welcome?"

The woman seemed not to be amused. "Hmp. My apologies," she said as she sneered at the Cheshire Cat, shooing him away with her staff. "It would do me no greater pleasure than to be done with this… place. But I'll not be leaving yet. Not until I have what I've come for."

"Oh?" The Cheshire Cat pressed his paws against his cheeks. "I thought with all of those shadows, you would have taken her by now. A girl, was it? You know, I have a girl right here."

"One of the Keyblade bearer's companions?" The woman glanced over at the Red-Haired Girl lying in the mud. "And what good would a girl with such a weak heart do me?"

"Oh, you never know," the Cheshire Cat said. "Surprises come in many shapes and sizes."

The woman gave a single short laugh. "Nothing more than a distraction from the matter at hand," she said as she began to walk once more. "There is only one girl here of use to me. And I give you my gratitude, Cat, for separating her from the Keyblade."

"Of course, of course," the Cheshire Cat said, bobbing his head. "The Cheshire Cat is always one to help. And once you take Dear Alice away, you can, presumably, take your shadows with you?"

"I could," the woman said slowly, pausing just a moment as she glanced over her shoulder with a devilish smirk playing across her lips. "But I think this world would do so much better in _darkness_. Now, if you excuse me, I have a party to attend."

The Cheshire Cat watched her retreating back until the woman was out of sight. But his unblinking eyes continued to stare down the path long after she was gone, and his wide grin remained plastered on his face. "Better in darkness?" he repeated quietly, unsheathing his claws and digging them deep into the mud.

He only looked away when the Red-Haired Girl began to stir.

* * *

"Ng…" Hikaru sluggishly lifted a hand to rub her eyelids. Everything felt cold and damp and heavy, and all the muscles in her body throbbed with a dull soreness.

"Ah, you're awake. How wonderful," a low voice came next to her.

The Cheshire Cat sat at her side, looking particularly cat-like with his tail curled neatly over his paws. His magenta fur was neat and dry, and he still had that irritating smile that stretched out his face.

"Now, wasn't that quite an experience?" he asked.

Hikaru sat up and glared at him. "What… did you do to me?" Murky images pulsed in her skull. She couldn't make sense of any of it: frigid water, a platform of ice rising from a dark and empty void, glimpses of her mother… and that boy.

"I merely took a look into your heart," the Cheshire Cat said. "And I must say, it's quite a cold place." He chuckled to himself as if he'd made a particularly funny joke. Hikaru's glare deepened at first, but despite her stubborn resentment at being made a fool of for the past however many hours she'd spent in this gods-forsaken world, she couldn't help a spark of curiosity at the cat's words.

"My… heart?" she asked, lifting her fingers to her chest.

"Indeed. The heart holds all the greatest answers. And the greatest mysteries," he said. "Do you feel any more enlightened?"

"… No," Hikaru said. Just the opposite, in fact. "Who was that person?" The boy, she meant. His image was hazy in her head—just heavy black boots and a head of blond hair. She couldn't remember much else. But he wasn't the only one on her mind.

_Why did I see my mam?_ And why had she been… like that? Hikaru had never seen her wearing that uniform before. Was it just something she'd made up in her head?

The Cheshire Cat shrugged. "It's your heart. You would know more than I."

She grimaced. Of course. She shouldn't have expected anything else from this utterly unhelpful furball. "Well, I hope you enjoyed the show," she muttered with a roll of her eyes, shoving herself to her feet and shaking out the water from her clothes.

"Enjoyed it?" the Cheshire Cat said. "Hmm, perhaps. It was interesting, at the very least." He spoke as if he were talking about something as casual as a stroll through a museum. "Humans are always so interesting. Especially when they try so hard to bottle up their hearts and run away from their feelings."

Hikaru's glare returned, her cheeks flushing hot in irritation. "Is that all this is, then? Some sort of amusement? A game?" she said. It was like getting teased by Akihiko, but a hundred times worse. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"You're the one who asked," the Cheshire Cat said. "You wanted to see the Jabberwock. I was merely trying to assist you."

"You call that assistance?" she asked. "Yeah, some assistance that was. I didn't _see_ any Jabberwock. There was nothing there. Nothing. Just…" Just what, exactly? Just her reflection, and all of the things that the cat said were in her heart? Whatever that meant.

"It's all part of the process," the Cheshire Cat said. "We could take another look, if you like."

"Noooooo," Hikaru said, crossing her arms in front of her body. "Nope, not happening. Look, can you just… give me a straight answer for once? I know it might be hard for anyone in a nonsense place like this, but…"

"It's the reflection of your heart," he said, cutting her off.

He was still grinning—that wide, toothy grin—but the humor had all but vanished from his eyes. His voice was so serious that it made Hikaru falter.

"Reflection?" she asked.

"In a manner of speaking." The Cheshire Cat moved forward, circling around her. In the blink of an eye, his airy and light-hearted demeanor returned. "It is the darkness that follows in your footsteps. Follows in everyone's footsteps. It's the things that haunt your sleeping dreams, and your waking dreams. The things that breathe over your shoulder. The things you'd rather forget. But _what_ is this Jabberwock—or perhaps, even, _who_ is this Jabberwock? That is something I can't answer. That is something you still have to figure out yourself."

Hikaru fell silent. All of her annoyance dwindled away to soot and ash. "Me?" she said.

"In time, maybe—be it a day from now, or a week, or even years—you'll find it," the cat said. "Everyone finds their demons sooner or later. But never fear, for the Cheshire Cat is a generous being, and is always here to help. Maybe I can lend you something helpful for your discoveries?" He lifted a paw and wiggled his claws.

"No, thanks," Hikaru said hastily, shaking her head in just the slightest panic. The last thing she wanted was more help from this cat.

He cocked his head to the side. "Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, my offer still stands," he said, starting down the path and leaving Hikaru standing there with confusion on her face.

That cat… One minute he was being a complete ass terrifying her out of her wits, the next he was… sort of being helpful? Cryptically helpful. She really didn't know what to make of him. At this point, talking to him was just making her head hurt.

She hurried after him, though, jogging to catch up until she was following close behind. "Why is it that you want to help?" she asked. If she could even _call_ it help.

"Hmm… Does the Cheshire Cat need a reason for anything?" he said. "You could say it is because of a fleeting whim. That it's because humans are interesting, and that helping people makes things terribly _more_ interesting." He glanced back at her, eyes closed in a full-faced grin. "And also… You are traveling with the one who holds the Key."

"The Keyblade?" Hikaru blinked. "You know about that?"

But the Cheshire Cat said nothing, just continuing onward.

* * *

With a strangled battle cry, Sora brought the Keyblade down on the final Heartless, tearing through its body and reducing it to nothing but smoke and a single crystalline heart. He fell back, landing on his butt and all but gasping for air as the Keyblade vanished from his hands.

Six Heartless. That was how many he'd managed to take out on his own in this wave of baddies—and oh boy, that was more exhausting than he'd anticipated. Those helmeted fiends were fast when they rushed forward with their bone-breaking kicks, and those ant creatures (they really needed to figure out better names for these things) were nothing but a pain when they kept slipping into the ground like untouchable shadows. Sora wiped the sweat from his forehead, leaning back and taking a deep breath as he watched the Heartless's crystal heart disappear into the sky.

"I think that's the last of them," Donald said, propping his staff over his shoulder and shaking away a few stray embers from his last Fire spell as he looked around. Nothing else moved in the tall grass. "Finally…"

"Good job, Sora," Goofy said. He walked over to him and held out a hand.

"Thanks," Sora said, grabbing Goofy's hand and hauling himself back up to his feet. Even if it was hard work, he had to admit that there was something satisfying about slaying the monsters and getting to fight evil like a real hero. Maybe this Keyblade thing isn't so bad after all.

Goofy rummaged around in his pockets. "Ahyuck, here," he said, handing over a potion. "Gotta keep your strength up, right?"

"And your magic," Donald added.

"Oh, right!" Goofy pulled out a little pouch as well, shaking out a tiny blue candy shaped like a cube. He held the ether out for Sora as well. Sora chugged the potion first, letting that pleasant warmth spread through his entire body. The ether in comparison was cool and bitter, filling his veins with an energetic tingling and leaving a strong minty aftertaste on his tongue.

"So," he said. "If that's all the Heartless taken care of, what now?"

"Hm… Well…" Goofy scratched his chin as he thought. "We can't really go askin' the Queen about the King, and I'm startin' to get the feeling that he's not here anyway. What about your friend?"

"Well, maybe," Sora said. That doorknob had mentioned something about a girl wandering by, but he was beginning to wonder if it might have been Alice instead of Kairi. "We could try asking the Cheshire Cat."

"Bah…" Donald made a face. "That cat? I don't know about him…"

"He helped get Alice somewhere safe, though," Sora said. Plus, Hikaru had gone with him, so he was sure everything was fine. But speaking of Hikaru… "Where are they?" he asked, looking around. It had been kind of a while since they'd left. He would have expected them back by now.

"We'd better go check on them," Goofy said. "Maybe they ran into trouble on the way."

"Are you talking about us?"

"AH!" Sora nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around to see the Cheshire Cat floating casually behind him with one paw scratching at his ears. Then Sora heard footsteps, and he looked up to see Hikaru trudging towards them from a gap in the tall grass. "Hey, you're back," he said, smiling at first, though his expression quickly changed when he saw the state she was in. "What… happened to you?"

Hikaru was a mess. Her clothes were wet and covered with mud, and her short hair was in a state of disarray. She dragged her staff across the ground behind her as she walked with her shoulders slouched. She looked utterly exhausted.

"Just took an unexpected dip," she said flatly. It reminded Sora of that last day they'd spent goofing off on the Destiny Islands and the tumble into the water she'd taken then—but Riku and Kairi weren't here this time to lighten the mood. "Don't worry about me—I'm fine," she added.

"Is Alice okay?" Goofy asked.

Hikaru nodded. "We brought her to a house further in. How'd it go with the Heartless?"

"It was easy," Sora said. "Those guys didn't stand a chance against us."

"Sora's a natural," Goofy said with a pleasant smile, patting him on the shoulder. "He's catchin' on quick with the Keyblade."

"Yeah, but he still needs to work some on the magic," Donald added as he prodded Sora in the chest.

"Hey, I thought I did pretty good," Sora said, swatting his hand away.

"It was _okay_," Donald said. "You still have a lot to learn. But… I _guess_ it wasn't bad for a beginner."

Sora almost pouted, but he brushed it off after giving it a second thought. Eh, he'd might as well take that compliment. Two days ago, he didn't even know how to use magic—and now, he could cast a pretty decent fireball. "I'm gonna get better at using magic in no time, Donald—just you watch," he said. "Maybe even better than you."

"Bah, keep dreaming."

Sora laughed, scratching his head as he turned to look back to Hikaru. She remained quiet for a few moments as she watched them, and something about her expression made Sora pause. Maybe he was just imagining it, but he swore there was something else in her downtrodden face beyond simple exhaustion.

A moment later, though, it was gone. "So, what's the plan now?" she asked, raking her fingers through her messy hair. "Please tell me we're heading back to the ship soon."

"I'm actually with her on that," Donald said. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can search somewhere less… annoying."

"But didn't we want to ask the Cheshire Cat something?" Goofy said, pausing a moment to think. "Oh, yeah! Cheshire Cat, we were wonderin' just now… By any chance have you seen our friends? One of them is King Mickey—about yea high, with big ears like this." He made big circles with his fingers over his head to demonstrate. "Or maybe a girl or a boy around Sora's age? We've been tryin' to find where they might've gone."

"Mmm… A king, or kids?" the Cheshire Cat said. "None that come to this cat's mind. The only royalty here are from the Queen's court. And the only girl and boy I've seen of that age are standing right here."

_Figures_, Sora thought. A little disappointing, but he supposed it was wishful thinking that they'd find Riku and Kairi in the first world they'd visited. There were so many more stars left in the sky, after all.

"Well, I guess that's that, then," Donald said, looking a little less disappointed than Sora. "If the King isn't here, there's no use staying any longer."

"But what about Alice?" Goofy asked.

"Eh, she can find her way home. We took out the Heartless. Not like we can bring her with us."

"I guess that's true…" Goofy paused. "Should we go and tell the Queen it's safe, though?"

Hikaru's head jerked up suddenly. "No way," she said, her cheeks turning ashy. "You guys can go talk to that crazy lady or whatever. I'll just… wait here."

"I… kind of agree with Hikaru," Sora said. Even if he hadn't been shouted at directly, he definitely wasn't keen on meeting that Queen again.

"Eh, we took care of the problem," Donald said. "The Heartless won't be going after the Queen again anytime soon. Hopefully."

"The Queen?" the Cheshire Cat said suddenly. He laughed, a strangely high-pitched laugh as he held one paw over his mouth and the other on his striped belly. "But surely you know, it wasn't the Queen that the Heartless were after."

"Huh?" They all turned to look at the cat. Sora's brows furrowed.

"The one that the Heartless were really after?" the Cheshire Cat said, glancing around like he was about to tell them an important secret. "It was Alice."

Silence lapsed over the forest, broken only by the trickling of water and the distant chirping of crickets in the thicket.

"What?!" Sora cried as Goofy gasped and Donald sputtered beside him.

"You tricked us!" Donald shouted. "I knew it! We shouldn't have trusted you!"

"A trick? Oh, no," the Cheshire Cat said. "I merely took her away from the danger brought by the Keyblade. But I'm afraid that, with the Keyblade so far from her, those shadows may have already whisked her away."

Hikaru looked horrified. "You said you wanted to help us!"

"And I did not lie." The Cheshire Cat flipped over, doing a full-body stretch in the air. "Help, or hinder? It is up to you to decide."

"You… You mangy fleabag!"

"Ah-ah-ah," the Cheshire Cat sang, waggling his finger. "Time is a-wasting. Don't you have better things to do?" With that, he vanished—really vanished this time.

"Oh, gods," Hikaru groaned, dragging her hands through her short hair. "I didn't know… We just left her there… I thought she'd be safe!"

"It's not your fault, Hikaru," Goofy said, moving to place a hand on her shoulder, but she stepped out of reach and began pacing in circles. "Maybe Alice is okay, and that Cheshire Cat is just makin' stuff up to mess with us."

"Goofy's right," Sora said. Right now, it didn't matter if the Cheshire Cat had tricked them or not. "We can't just stand around doing nothing. We have to find Alice."

"R-right…" Hikaru took a deep breath and nodded.

Donald gave a growl, winding up his staff. "Next time I see that cat, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"

* * *

There was a scream, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

The wooden gate slammed open as Hikaru and the others came barging into the garden. The Heartless—there must have been a dozen of them, small ones mostly, scrambling around and tearing the tea party to pieces. But there were two others that stood out among the common creatures: a rotund Heartless so big it looked almost like a balloon with a purple vest just barely laced up over its bulging stomach, and the diminutive red and black jester from the Queen's courtyard that stood on an upturned chair and waved its batons around like it was conducting the chaos.

Hikaru's stomach dropped as she scanned the garden. She didn't see Alice. And if the Heartless were here, and Alice wasn't, then that meant the stupid, traitorous cat hadn't been lying.

_I can't believe it_, she thought, all her muscles going tense as her grasp on her staff tightened. _I can't believe I was so stupid!_ Had she honestly thought for a second there that he actually wanted to help them? Help _her_? After all that garbage he had tricked her into? Stupid, stupid! The next time she saw that furball, she was going to smash his stupid grinning teeth in!

A loud crash snapped her back to the mess in front of them. The jester spun its batons around, waving at the tea table. The large Heartless reached out silently, grabbing the long table in its massive hands and flipping it over in a swift motion to reveal the Hatter and the Hare hugging each other for dear life underneath.

"Hey!" Sora shouted, hurling the Keyblade at the huge creature. The weapon smacked the Heartless in the head and fell to the ground with a clatter. The large Heartless turned around with slow, lumbering footsteps, a glint entering its yellow eyes as it pounded its belly with its fist.

They dodged out of the way as the Heartless threw itself forward. It crashed stomach-first into the fence behind them, shattering the wooden planks and shaking the ground. Sora and Goofy scrambled to their feet first, turning to the large Heartless. Hikaru winced, wiping the dirt from her cheek and shoving herself into standing with help from her staff.

Movement flashed in the corner of her eyes. She ducked just in time to avoid a ceramic plate hurtling through the air at her face. The dish exploded into pieces behind her, and the culprit that had thrown it—a helmeted Heartless stomping around the upturned table—reached to throw another.

Hikaru ducked again. The other Heartless took that moment to move in, and three bug-eyed shadow ants rushing towards her with their claws ready to strike. Hikaru did the first thing that came to mind; she swung her staff as hard as she could, launching one of the Heartless clear across the garden and into the bushes. The other two sprang into the air, but before they could bring their claws down, a blast of ice struck them in the heads and reduced them to wisps.

"Thanks," Hikaru managed, looking to Donald.

"Don't thank me just yet!" Donald replied, turning his staff to the other Heartless closing in on them.

She clenched her jaw and nodded. It didn't look like these things were running away this time.

There was no backing down now.

In a flurry of weapons and magic, they tore through the onslaught of Heartless. Hikaru swung her staff again and again, the adrenaline powering her body as she knocked back the crawling fiends, while Donald unleashed a barrage of Fire spells to finish them off. Behind them, Sora and Goofy ran at the large-bodied Heartless, but their weapons just smacked harmlessly against its padded front side.

"Ack!" Sora staggered back, his Keyblade flying from his hand as his swing bounced off of the Heartless's stomach. The Heartless swung in return, launching one of its huge fists at Sora's face. But Goofy moved in front of him with his shield raised, deflecting the attack and sending the Heartless tumbling back instead.

"You okay, Goofy?" Donald said, glancing over his shoulder for just a moment. A helmeted Heartless took the opportunity to throw itself at him, one leg extended for a kick.

"Fire!" Hikaru shouted, aiming out with her hand. The fireball ripped free from her palm, slamming into the Heartless and knocking it to the ground. She hissed, scrunching her eyes shut and closing her hand as burning pain scorched her skin. But she shook it off a second later, turning back to the fight.

"We can't get it from the front!" Goofy said, rubbing his shield arm.

"Use magic!" Donald replied.

"I got it!" Sora said, calling the Keyblade back to his hand. "Fire!" His blast of fire seared the air, burning through the Heartless's skin. The smell of burning ether and acrid shadows filled the garden as the Heartless fell helplessly onto its back and struggled to pat out the flames.

Goofy brought his shield down on the creature's head, and then all that was left was smoke.

"Just one left!" Sora said. The lone Heartless that remained was the jester, still standing on the upturned chair with its batons spinning in its hands. But the Heartless didn't stick around. It quickly leapt off of the chair, using its long legs to hurry across the garden and going straight for the cottage at the edge of the yard.

"Hey, stop right there!" Donald shouted, but the Heartless slipped into the cottage and slammed the front door shut behind it before anyone could say anything else. "Will that thing just stop running away already?!"

"Are you okay?" Hikaru asked, rushing over to the Hatter and the Hare, who were both still huddled in the same spot they had been when the Heartless flipped the table.

"Okay? _Okay_?" the Hatter said, all but sputtering in disbelief. "Little girl, we were just attacked by monsters, and you're asking us if we're _okay_? Well… the answer is yes, we are quite alright," he added rather cheerfully.

"But the tea party," the Hare said. "It's been ruined! What a disastrous unbirthday party! So disastrous, it might as well be a plain old _birthday_ party!"

"Sounds like they must've been some bad birthdays," Goofy whispered to Hikaru. If it had been any other situation than this, she might have laughed at that.

"What happened to Alice?" Hikaru asked, though the sinking feeling in her stomach was already getting worse.

"Well, we were just about to start on dessert when a woman and those foul monsters appeared," the Hatter started to say.

"Monsters, monsters, everywhere," a tiny voice squeaked from the ground. Hikaru looked down to see a dazed dormouse in a suit stumble through the wreckage with tea dripping from his fur. He held a broken teapot handle in one hand and a cracked lid in the other. "Monsters, monsters, in the air. Monsters, monsters, in the chair…"

"A woman?" Donald said, stepping forward with a frown. "What woman?"

"Tall, dark, rather frightening," the Hare replied. "Never seen her before. She sat down, and we tried to send her off—it's very rude to sit down at a party uninvited, you know."

"She didn't appreciate it," the Hatter said. "She ordered those monsters to _attack_ us. Can you believe it? And she had that… that monstrosity whisk that poor girl away!" He gestured towards the cottage.

"That one with the batons?" Sora asked. "Guys, we gotta—"

"We gotta go after it!" Hikaru said. If it was that same jester Heartless, then maybe they could still save Alice.

"_Just wait here, okay, Alice?"_ Hikaru had told her. _"I'll go check to see how the others are doing. We'll be back once it's safe."_

And then a nod, and a such a sweet and polite smile from a little girl that Hikaru had been so _stupid_ to leave alone.

"_I'll save you some cake,"_ Alice had said.

_Oh, gods, please don't let it be too late_.

They bolted to the cottage without a moment to lose, leaving the Hatter and the Hare alone with the dormouse to pick up the remains of their tea party. Sora was the first to reach the door, turning the knob and giving it a hurried jiggle. "It's locked," he said.

"Try using the Keyblade," Goofy said.

"Huh?" Sora looked down at his weapon. "The Key…? Ohhh!" He held the Keyblade out, giving the doorknob a tentative tap. There was a click, and when he tried the door again, it turned without resistance. "It worked!"

"Of course it did—it's called a _Key_blade for a reason! Now move it!" Donald ushered them through the open door.

And right into pitch-black darkness. The door swung shut behind them, sealing out the last ray of sunlight. Hikaru blinked several times. She couldn't see anything—not even Goofy or Sora standing less than a foot away from her. An uneasy prickling spread over her skin.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she said, her heart thumping faster.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Sora asked.

"Shadows do prefer the darkness," a voice rang out next to them, making Hikaru jump.

"Cat!" she said, spinning around. Despite the utter darkness, a familiar smile shined like a crescent moon beside her. "What the hell are you playing at, you rotten fleabag?" she said, readying her staff to swing. What were the chances she would accidentally hit someone else in the dark? Actually, it didn't matter—that was a risk she was willing to take.

"Temper," he sang. "I think you'll find you have greater enemies lurking in the shadows than a simple Cheshire Cat. But you know, shadows don't exist without the light. Why don't I _illuminate_ things for you?"

There was a snap, and suddenly they were blinded by a flood of light. Hikaru automatically scrunched her eyes shut, shielding her face with a hand. Spots blinked in her vision, and slowly she opened her eyes, straining to get a look at the room around them.

She heard Sora gasp. "Whoa…"

For a moment it seemed simple enough: two giant tables with flickering gas lamps stood in the center of the room, while the paneled floors sloped strangely to the walls. Looking up, however, made Hikaru's eyes widen. Above them was a tile floor, and a round table, and a mess of broken cookies and spilled liquid that seemed to defy gravity. Or maybe… they were the ones who were defying gravity.

They were standing on the ceiling.

"Look!" Goofy said, pointing up—er, down?—at the tiny door in the wall high above their heads. "It's that talking doorknob!"

"How… did we get here?" Hikaru took a step back. Her head was spinning. "Why is everything upside down?"

"Left, right, up down—all mixed up thanks to the shadows," the Cheshire Cat replied. He floated next to her with his arms crossed. "In fact… There it goes now!" He flicked a claw upwards.

Donald gave a startled quack. "The Heartless!" he said, pointing at the jester Heartless that was running upside down on the tile floor ceiling. The creature was so small it looked like a speck above their heads.

"Wait… What's it doing?" Goofy asked, scratching his head and squinting as the Heartless reached for one of the fallen cookies littering the tile.

Hikaru felt the blood drain from her face. "No, no, no!" she sputtered as the Heartless took a bite out of the cookie.

"Oh… Oh, no," Sora said.

The Heartless began to grow. Its body seemed to stretch out, its thin arms lengthening while its feet tripled in size. Its long head grew even longer, with all the yellow eyes in its tower of faces gleaming down at them from above. The Heartless flipped over, dropping from the tile floor landing in a crouch in front of them with an earth-shaking crash. Then slowly it rose up, towering before them like a giant.

"That thing is huge!" Sora cried, scrambling back as the massive jester tossed the remainder of the cookie to the ground and whipped out its batons.

"No, we're just too small!" Donald countered.

"Doesn't matter!" Hikaru said. "Either way, we'll get crushed if we don't—"

"Look out!" Goofy shouted.

They dove out of the way as the jester Heartless swung its batons and nearly smashed them against the wall. "You guys alright?" Hikaru asked, shoving herself off of the ground.

"Fine!" Sora called. He was sprawled out on his back, but quickly he scrambled back to his feet. Donald rubbed his head, a bit dazed, but Goofy seemed fine thanks to his shield.

Donald shook his head. "You rotten cat!" he shouted, shaking a fist at the Cheshire Cat. "You set us up! This was a trap!"

"A trap? Oh, no, I was merely leading you to where you needed to be," the Cheshire Cat replied. "Does the Keyblade wielder not wish to battle the shadows and rescue Alice?"

"You're the one who let her get kidnapped in the first place!" Hikaru shouted.

"Mm… You're not wrong," the Cheshire Cat said with a shrug. "But I think you'll find that we aren't on very different sides, you and I. The Cheshire Cat is always here to help—he just works in mysterious ways!"

"Well, it would've helped to have a little warning!" Sora replied, jumping back as the jester swung down its batons once more.

"What are you playing at, Cat?" Hikaru said. "Are you here to help us or get us killed?"

"I am what you make of me," the Cheshire Cat said smugly. "Help or hindrance, it's up to you to decide. My offer still stands."

"Why would we want _your_ help?" Donald snapped, launching a Fire spell at the Heartless. But the blast of fire only served to light up the ends of the jester's batons and give it a much deadlier weapon as it swung at Sora, who dove for cover behind the gas lamp table.

"Speak for yourself!" Sora said, hiding behind the table leg as the Heartless crouched down and tried to jab him with clumsy prods of its flaming batons. "I think some help would be really nice right now!"

"No!" Hikaru glared at the Cheshire Cat. "Like hell we want your help! You'll probably get us all killed!"

"Oh, how _cold_! You hurt me," the cat said, holding a hand over his heart. "Do you not trust the Cheshire Cat? Well, to be honest that's probably quite a good idea—but believe me, Red-Haired Girl, there is nothing more I would like than to get this abomination away from this world. And you and your friends are the perfect ones to do it."

There it was again—that sudden drop in his voice, and the serious intensity in his humorless eyes. Hikaru hesitated. For a moment, she almost believed him.

_No, no! It's _his_ fault we're in this mess in the first place! We don't need _anything_ from this furball! We don't need—_

"Uh, fellas," Goofy said, peering over his shield as the Heartless turned. It gave up on trying to reach Sora at such a bad angle, switching targets and looking at Hikaru instead with an angry shudder of its body. It crouched down, tightening its spindly legs.

Hikaru's eyes widened. "Okay, help, then!" she cried, making a run for it as the Heartless launched itself into the air with the full intention to crush her under its feet. "We want you to help!" She tripped on the uneven panel floor, landing hard on her side as the jester came hurtling back down to the ground.

The Cheshire Cat's grin widened, and he faded away until only his eyes and smile were left. "Excellent choice!"

Hikaru squeezed her eyes shut and curled up into a ball, bracing herself for oncoming death. But she felt a sudden rush of magic and heat, saw a flash of bright pink light through her eyelids, and when the ground shook as the jester landed, she felt nothing. "Huh?!" She opened her eyes.

The Heartless's foot was right there, stomped down on the lower half of her body. But there was no pain. There was no anything. Her entire body had turned smoky and translucent. She patted down her front, solid to her own hands, but as she reached for the jester's boot, her hand phased right through. Like a… a…

A ghost?

"Oh, don't worry—you aren't dead," the Cheshire Cat said, materializing next to her as she sat up. "Surely someone like you would be able to tell the difference. No, it's merely difficult to hit something that only half exists, wouldn't you say? I thought you might have found some use in borrowing a skill or two." He vanished again, reappearing a moment later on the table above Sora. "Perhaps you will find this helpful as well," he said, snapping his claws.

Sora aimed his Keyblade at the jester, the weapon jerking around as if on its own volition. Suddenly a blast of snow and ice-cold air washed over the Heartless, extinguishing its batons. "Whoa?! Ice magic?"

"Blizzard magic!" Donald corrected.

Hikaru scrambled back to her feet and stumbled away, her body turning solid once more as she removed herself from the Heartless's boot. "How…?" She looked to the Cheshire Cat, who just smiled knowingly at her as the jester swung at Donald and Goofy.

"Thunder!" Donald cried, aiming his staff forward and letting a bolt of lightning shoot out from the end. It struck the Heartless in one of its many faces, but the tiny spark just seemed to jump harmlessly across its body. Donald gulped. "It's too big!" he cried.

"Too big?" the Cheshire Cat said. "Or perhaps…"

"… we're too small," Hikaru muttered. Then it hit her. "The cookie!" she said, spinning around and pointing to the broken pieces of the jester's half-eaten cookie on the ground.

Sora realized it the same moment she did. "I'm on it!" he said, breaking away from the gas lamp table. The Heartless immediately turned to look at him, its eyes trained on the Keyblade propped over his shoulder. It started forward with a slow and clumsy step, raising its batons into the air.

"Blizzard!" Donald shouted, launching a blast of ice that froze the ground under its feet. The Heartless slipped, shaking the whole room as it crashed into the ground.

"Sora, hurry!" Goofy called out, kicking the Heartless's batons out of reach.

"Got it!" Sora skidded to a stop in front of the cookie, grabbing the remainder of the crumbs and icing and shoving it into his mouth. "W-whoa!"

He shot up in the blink of an eye, growing exponentially fast until he was towering over them, the tips of his spiky hair brushing against the ceiling. He looked down at them—at Hikaru and Donald and Goofy, and at the Heartless too.

Hikaru and the others quickly scrambled out of the way, leaving a wide space around the Heartless as it pushed itself up off the ground. But it looked around, and then it looked up—just in time to receive a giant Keyblade to the face.

The Heartless exploded into smoke and shadows. The remaining pieces of its body collapsed in a pile on the ground, dissolving into the air and fading away until nothing remained—nothing but a red heart that vanished with the rest of it.

"We did it!" Sora said, lifting his Keyblade into the air and accidentally bumping the ceiling. "We beat that giant Heartless!"

"Technically, it was an ordinary-sized Heartless," Goofy said. "We were just a whole lot smaller."

"Same difference," Donald said.

Hikaru breathed out a sigh of relief. All the feeling drained out of her limbs, but she managed to keep standing. "I can't believe we're still alive," she said, running a hand through her hair. She'd honestly thought that this world was going to be the death of her.

The sound of clapping came from behind her. "Splendid work!" the Cheshire Cat said from the spot he stood, his hind paws planted firmly on the ground. "You're quite the hero, Keyblade bearer. But that's to be expected!"

"Oh, uh…" Sora scratched his head. "Thanks… I guess?"

The Cheshire Cat's grin widened. "And now that the shadows are gone, we can turn this room right-side up!"

"Right-side…?" Hikaru repeated, her previous excursion with the Cheshire Cat springing to the front of her mind. "Wait, hold on!"

The Cheshire Cat snapped its claws, and there was a flash of light. One moment they were standing on the ceiling; the next, everything had flipped around. The checkered tile floor littered with fallen cookies stretched out beneath them, while the gas lamps hung above them as ceiling lights. Hikaru looked around, staggering back a little as she reoriented herself in her surroundings again.

It was the study—right-side up, just as the Cheshire Cat had said.

"How'd you do that, Cheshire Cat?" Goofy asked.

"Oh, it was nothing," the cat replied. "Just a bit of rearranging and redecorating. Nothing a Cheshire Cat _can't_ do!" He laughed. "Couldn't let the shadows sink their claws into such a valuable place, after all!"

"Oh, blast it," a grumbling voice came, making turn around. The golden doorknob set into the tiny door blinked its bleary eyes. "Please, stop with all the racket and flashing lights!"

"Um… Sorry 'bout that," Goofy said, scratching his head.

"Take care to be a little more careful! How's a doorknob to get any sleep?" It yawned, opening its mouth wide until something glinted in its exposed keyhole.

"Whoa!" Sora's Keyblade suddenly jerked forward, making him stumble and nearly knock the table over with his massive boots. Light collected at the end of the Keyblade as it aimed at the doorknob. A beam of light shot out, straight into the keyhole, and something clicked behind the door.

"Now," the doorknob said, smacking its lips and closing its eyes once more. "Good _night_."

"What was that?" Hikaru asked. She crouched down to get a better look, but she couldn't see anything past the doorknob's blustery snores.

"The Heartless won't be causing trouble here any longer," the Cheshire Cat said. "Or, well, at least not _that_ much trouble. And how wonderful! You have my thanks."

"Hey…" Donald's eyes narrowed. "Don't think you're off the hook, furball! You still tricked us!"

"Oh, I merely did what I had to do to get that _dreadfully_ slippery Heartless away from here," the Cheshire Cat said. "It doesn't do, having all these shadows sullying the world."

"You could have just asked us," Hikaru said, crossing her arms. "Or, why not just take care of it yourself?" If the Cheshire Cat could flip rooms and give them magic and screw with her head, then surely it could have done something about the Heartless without them.

But the Cheshire cocked his head to the side. "Oh, but fighting isn't a role of mine," he said. "The Cheshire Cat's domain is that of the world and hearts. The actual fighting lies beyond reach." He stretched out his empty paw to the sky as if to demonstrate. "That is why I needed people like you. But… I'm afraid dear Alice is gone."

"Oh, no," Sora said, kneeling down to better join the conversation. "We're too late?"

"Indeed," the Cheshire Cat said. "Whisked away from this world—taken by the shadows into the darkness. Where exactly, I do not know. Is she lost forever? Your actions may yet decide her fate."

Hikaru grimaced, exchanging a look with Sora and the others. Part of her still wanted to punch the Cheshire Cat's trollish smile off of his face. It was _his_ fault—his fault he'd tricked them into leaving Alice alone, his fault that they now needed to worry about Alice in addition to everything else they had on their plate.

Except… Hikaru knew it was her fault too for believing him. And he had helped them handle the Heartless. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he had _saved_ her. Saved her with that ghostly magic.

She didn't know what to think of this cat anymore.

"… Thank you… Cheshire Cat," she said reluctantly. "For helping us with that fight."

"Oh, yes, you're very welcome," the Cheshire Cat replied. "Take care of my gifts; don't misuse them. Hopefully they will do you well, for your journey has only begun."

"Come on," Donald said, blatantly ignoring the cat as he started forward. "We don't have any time to waste—let's get to back to the ship."

"Here, Sora," Goofy said, rolling over the glass bottle of shrinking liquid until it bumped against the side of Sora's shoe.

"Thanks," he said, picking it up. "There are some more cookies on the floor over there."

"Eating off of the floor?" Donald said, making a face. "Disgusting!"

"Hey, I had to do it," Sora said with a pout. "Come on, Donald, it's only fair!" He reached out, carefully picking up a fallen cookie between his fingers and shoving it at the duck.

"Knock it off, you big buffoon!"

Hikaru watched them, quirking an eyebrow and almost laughing as the boys argued. But as Sora's annoyance broke away into a cheerful grin at Donald's flustered demeanor, and even Goofy released a chuckle as he collected the crumbs off the ground, she felt a different feeling settle inside her stomach. The same thing she'd felt when she'd come trudging from the depths of the Lotus Forest after the Cheshire Cat's excursion, only to find they'd already dealt with the Heartless.

_They're… having fun_, she thought. It reminded her of… well… herself. Herself and Aki, and Tatsuya too, in those more recent years when he'd begun to come out of his shell. How everything before the Heartless invaded Hart's Haven had been… maybe not _okay_, but survivable, at least, because she'd had her family.

A sting came at Hikaru's palms as she balled her hands into fists. So where did she fit in now?

"Best not to dawdle," the Cheshire Cat said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he floating over to her side. "There's still quite a lot you all must do. A big universe awaits."

"Why me?" Hikaru whispered.

"Hm?"

"Why me?" She turned to look at the cat. "Why help _me_?"

The Cheshire Cat paused. "Because surprises come in many shapes and sizes," he said, his smile never leaving his face. "And I do so very much like surprises. After all, how delightfully surprised was I to find someone who's met another one of my kind before?"

"Your kind?" Hikaru said with a blink. "But… I've never met a Cheshire Cat before."

The Cheshire Cat's grin widened. "Who said anything about a cat?" he said, stretching out his back. "I've seen it—hidden away in the icy cockles of your heart. I only wonder why she never chose you first."

"'She'?" Hikaru said. "But who…?"

She didn't get a chance to finish asking, though. "Hikaru," Goofy said, walking over to her with an armful of cookie crumbs. "Come on, Donald wants to get goin'." Behind him, both Donald and Sora had returned to normal size and were waiting at the round table.

"Oh. Right." Hikaru took a large crumb before turning back to the Cheshire Cat—but when she looked, she found that he was no longer there. "… Cat?" she said.

This time, she received no response.

* * *

"That little runt actually took down that Heartless! Who'd have thunk, eh?"

The image that flickered over the stone table was silent, but it was the only source of light in the dark room. There were just four people on display: the King's fools, the red-haired girl, and the boy who claimed ownership of the Keyblade. Even as they spoke, their faces and mouths animated in their conversations to one another, no words came through the watchful spell.

"Maybe this'll be interesting," Hades went on, scratching his chin as a red-capped mushroom Heartless came up to his side with a tray of drinks and hors d'oeuvres. He swiped one of the goblets, swirling the wine inside as he contemplated the scene.

"You give him far too much credit," Jafar said. "Such is the power of the Keyblade. The child's strength is not his own."

"Yeah, but that _cat_ is the real problem," Oogie Boogie said, slamming one fabric hand against the table and sending a few insects flying from his seams. "The nerve of that disgusting feline, double-crossing us! Why, if I'd been there, I'd… I'd…"

"You'd what?" Ursula laughed. "Let it turn you into a yarn ball? Or a scratching post?"

"Listen here you walking seafood buffet," Oogie Boogie said. "I will not have you talking to me that way! Me! The Boogieman!"

"Oh, please," Ursula said, reaching for a shrimp off of the serving platter as the mushroom Heartless came up to her. "I've seen week old sardines scarier than you."

"Grr…! I'll show you scary…!"

"Why don't we send in another Heartless?" Hook asked, twirling his hook around his mustache as he looked to Jafar and Hades, completely ignoring the argument over at the other side of the table. "Get rid of that wretched mog, and plunge that world into darkness while we're at it."

"I'm afraid that won't work." A cool voice rang out from the darkness. At first only a horned silhouette was visible in the shadows, until the dark figure stepped forward into the dim light, all but gliding over to the table. At once, all the chatter fell silent. "The Keyblade has sealed that world's Keyhole," Maleficent said. "Wonderland is now out of our reach—just as that cat wanted."

"I could always make a quick stop over on the way back home, if you like," Ursula said. "I'm sure there's a shark that wouldn't mind a little cat food."

"I think you'll find that to be quite a challenge," Maleficent said. She dismissed the mushroom Heartless with a wave of her hand as it offered her the tray of food and drinks. "That cat is no ordinary cat—it represents the world it dwells in, and its world has been rendered untouchable at its deepest core. But the Keyhole and the cat—it matters not. The important thing…" She glanced over her shoulder as a portal of darkness opened up behind them, revealing the beady eyes of the twitching Heartless and a young girl with blonde hair and a blue dress.

Alice looked around, hands held close to her chest as she looked at the menacing figures gathered around the table. "W-who are you?"

"You need not worry about such pointless questions," Maleficent said. "Take her away."

The Heartless shoved Alice into the shadows of the room and out of sight.

"The princesses are falling into our hands," Maleficent said. "To that end, the Keyblade bearer hardly poses an threat. We'll observe them for now to see whether or not he and his allies pose any threat to our cause." She allowed herself a careful sneer as she looked at the four illusions standing on the table. The Keyblade bearer, the king's soldiers, and the girl with a broken heart. "Either way, he could be quite useful…"

"And that boy you found in the rising falls?" Jafar asked, glancing over to her.

"He's settling into the castle," Maleficent said, a wide smirk crossing her face. "Perhaps he could be of use to us as well."

* * *

A/N: And so we have officially wrapped up Wonderland!

This chapter was not as difficult to write as the previous, but it did pose something of a challenge. I did a lot of debating on how to write it, and what to focus on, which also led to working on some revisions to the previous chapter for consistency's sake. Hopefully it came out pretty good though!

So, what did you think? Did you like it? How was our first Disney world? Drop a review to let me know! Feedback is very much appreciated.

And speaking of feedback... I would like to give a giant thank you to all you lovely reviewers and your comments and critique! It's given me so much to think about in how to handle the rest of the story, I can't say thank you enough!

Until next time!


	12. The Streets of Thebes

6/16/19: Helloooo everyone, Tempura here barely on time for the next chapter of RS! (Well, it's still technically on time in my time zone at least, haha!) Today we begin our foray into the next Disney world, but before that we also take some time to recover from the adventures of the previous world. 6/20/19: Made some edits. Not too big, hopefully it helps with the flow a bit.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 12: The Streets of Thebes

Hikaru stood before the bathroom sink, muttering to herself as she fumbled with the contents of her first aid kit. Most of the supplies had been scattered across the narrow countertop, but for now her focus was directed towards cleaning the broken blisters on her left hand.

She gingerly lifted the cotton ball between the tips of her fingers. The sharp odor of alcohol made her nose wrinkle. It reminded her of those distant childhood afternoons, coming home with scraped knees and elbows as mementos of her adventures through Hart's Haven, and then crying when her mother had to drag her kicking and screaming to the bathroom to clean up her wounds. It also reminded her of a time more recent than that—of long hours spent under her mother's hawk-like stare, practicing magic until her hands bled. There'd been some crying then too, but by the time Hikaru had turned ten she'd learned how to keep it tears only.

"Damn it," she muttered. This was the part she always hated—the part Mam had always made her do, holding her arm in an iron grip while Hikaru sulked and whined. Or if it wasn't Mam, then it was Yui rolling her eyes and telling her to suck it up. Or Akihiko calling her a baby.

_I'm not a baby_, she told herself stubbornly. She was fifteen now—she could certainly fix herself. With those words in mind, she forced her hand forward and dabbed her open blisters with the cold stinging liquid.

_Gods_, she thought once she was finished wrapping her bandages, lifting her gaze to the mirror and seeing her tired face staring back. _I'm pathetic_. Living through the destruction of two worlds, fending off yellow-eyed creatures of darkness—and yet she could hardly muster the nerve to clean a few insignificant cuts and bruises. But patching up her wounds had never been her job. She'd always had her family to help with that.

Then again, none of this had ever been her job. So what was her excuse?

She released a heavy sigh, blowing her tangled hair out of her face. Her reflection just seemed to judge her. Even though she'd taken the time to clean up after that fiasco in Wonderland, she still looked like a mess—though she was sure that it had been a long time since she _hadn't_ looked like a mess. There had been a time when she'd still been able to actually care about her personal vanities. But hair dye, makeup—all those things seemed so pointless now, to the point where the Hikaru that _had_ cared about them felt like a different person.

"_Hikaru, are you done with the bathroom yet?"_ she recalled Akihiko's irritated voice, one particularly average autumn day on Akhfa before life had taken such a downward spiral. Hikaru had been thirteen then, a couple months shy of her next birthday, while Akihiko had turned sixteen just a few weeks prior.

"_Not yet," Hikaru said, still holding her eyeliner with an unskilled hand as she glanced over her shoulder. It was the third time that her brother had come barging into the bathroom, and he wasn't the only one getting annoyed._

"_Gods," Akihiko grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway. "It's been half an hour. How long does it take for girls to get ready? I should never have let Iris take you makeup shopping."_

"_You didn't _let_ me do anything," Hikaru replied, sticking her nose in the air. "I decided to go shopping with her myself."_

"_And who was it that Mam made go with you?" he said. "Suffering? For two hours after school when I should have been at band practice?"_

"_Okay, yeah, that's true," she said slowly, using her thumb to smudge away the mistakes at the corner of her eye. "But then we ran into Prompto at the photography shop so it all worked out, right?" She shot him a cheeky, insolent smile and stuck her tongue out._

_Akihiko's face went red. "Hikaru!"_

_She cackled. "Bathroom's aaaaaall yours!" she said, flicking her eyeliner pen at his head and slipping out into the hallway._

"_Get back here, you little demon turd!" Akihiko chased after her, their footsteps pounding against the hardwood floor._

"_Only if you can catch me first, jerkass!" Hikaru just kept laughing, dodging out of the way of his grasping hands._

_Then one of the hallway doors opened. "Oi!"_

_Hikaru and Akihiko immediately slid to a halt. They turned around in unison, and Hikaru felt her cheeks burn in only a mild guilt._

"_Settle down, you two," their father said as he stifled a yawn. He looked particularly bleary-eyed, and his dark hair was messed in an unmistakable bedhead. "Some of us are trying to sleep."_

"_Sorry Dad," they said together. "We forgot," Hikaru added sheepishly._

_But they didn't have to worry about a scolding this time at least. "You're lucky your mam isn't here," Dad said, a tired smile crossing his face. "Well, I guess it was about time for me to get up anyway." He looked at them a moment, at their outfits and hair and the umbrella Akihiko had propped over his shoulder. "Heading out?"_

"_Just seeing a movie with Noct and the guys," Akihiko said. "We'll probably go to Tostwell Grill afterwards and bug Yui for free food."_

"_Don't bother your sister when she's working," Dad said, though the half-hearted disapproval in his voice was hardly a deterrent to their mischief. "You should bring Tatsuya along too. I have a doctor's appointment at six, and I'd rather not leave him alone in the flat."_

"_Sure," Akihiko said. "Maybe he'll actually _talk_ this time, instead of just staring at everyone like they personally insulted him."_

"_Good kids," Dad said, patting Akihiko on the shoulder. "Well, have your fun, then. Don't stay out too late."_

"_Right!" Hikaru grinned. "Good luck at the doctor's!"_

"_Luck? Who needs luck?" Dad laughed. "Everything will be fine—I'm sure."_

No one had known how sick he was. He'd seemed okay then—tired, maybe, and just a little under the weather, so they'd just chalked it up to the endless gloom of those rainy days on Akhfa. Then the diagnosis came. Hikaru for a long time had refused to understand, as if ignoring the problem would make it disappear. But in the span of a few short months, she'd watched her father wither away into a sickly stranger.

Hikaru's grasp tightened on the edge of the counter as she turned away from the mirror, wiping her eyes on the back of her bandaged hand. _Stop_, she thought as her eyes burned. _Stop thinking about it_. All thinking about it did was make her hurt more, and she was just so tired of hurting. Closing her eyes, she took a deep and shaky breath, shoving back all those tumultuous memories bubbling up inside of her head.

When she opened her eyes, her tears had stopped. She exhaled slowly, her entire body tense as she forced her face into a careful blank. The ache in her chest faded away, replaced by a cold and tense hollowness that didn't hurt nearly as much.

"_Humans are always so interesting,"_ the Cheshire Cat's words echoed, still fresh in her mind. _"Especially when they try so hard to bottle up their hearts and run away from their feelings."_

_So what if I am? There are more important things to worry about than feelings_.

She exited the bathroom with one final wipe of her nose, once again ready to pretend that everything was fine.

* * *

"What about… Ant-Face?" Sora's voice rose over the gentle rumbling of the ship as Hikaru shoved open the hatch to the flight deck. The spiky-haired boy was standing at the main console with his back to the stairs and one of his bright yellow shoes tapping thoughtfully against the floor. Goofy stood beside him too, staring at something in front of the captain's chair.

"What?" Donald said from the chair, his hands firmly holding onto the gummi ship's control wheel. "That's a stupid name."

"I'd like to hear you think of something better!" Sora said with a pout evident in his words.

"What's going on now?" Hikaru asked, climbing onto the deck.

"We're just tryin' to figure out what to call the Heartless," Goofy said as she walked over. "That way it'll be easier to keep track of all the different ones we see out in the worlds. We already named a few of them."

"Sora suggested Soldiers for those helmeted creatures," Jiminy said from his spot sitting on the console. He held up his journal to show Hikaru his rough sketches of the Heartless. Even if he was going just by their descriptions, his pictures were much better than the sorry excuses for scribbles that Hikaru and Sora had attempted earlier. "And Donald wanted to call the portly fellows Large Bodies."

"Yeah, cuz that's an original name," Sora said, crossing his arms.

"It gets the point across!" Donald snapped. "And it's not as dumb as Ant-Head."

"Ant-_Face_," Sora corrected.

"That's even worse!"

"Hey, what about Shadow?" Goofy asked. "Those little fellas sink into the ground, and they look like shadows."

"Better than Ant-Face," Donald mumbled.

Sora huffed. "I'm just trying to be creative here…"

Hikaru felt her lips twitch. As much as she could appreciate the creativity, she wasn't sure she could take any monster called Ant-Face seriously. "I like Shadow," she put in after a moment. It was descriptive, but easy to remember.

"Then it's settled," Jiminy said, jotted down his notes with his tiny pencil. "So far we have Shadows, Soldiers, Large Bodies… and those stronger ones too—the Guard Armor and the Trickmaster. Anything else?"

"There were those floaty red ones," Goofy said. "The ones that shoot fireballs?"

Hikaru made a face. "Don't remind me," she said. Of course the first Heartless she'd encountered in the previous world had been immune to the only spell she knew. She just hoped that would be the only time she would see them.

"How about Fireball?" Sora asked. "Or, no—wait, Fire_bell_. Because they're shaped like bells."

"Too punny," Donald said. "Just call them the red ones."

"Aw, come on, Donald, that's no fun."

"It's not supposed to _be_ fun," Donald replied with a roll of his eyes. "This isn't a game. We're on an important mission."

"Yeah, I know that," Sora said, jamming his hands into his pockets. "But that doesn't mean we can't do stuff to lighten the mood on the journey, right?" A grin crossed his face, just a flash of optimism that seemed so genuine.

"What do you think, Hikaru?" Goofy said. "Got any ideas?"

"Huh? Me?" she said, blinking in surprise. "Um…" Honestly, she'd been a little too overwhelmed lately to let any creative juices flow. Thinking up a proper name seemed like a challenge that she would have been content on passing—she'd probably just think of something even worse than Ant-Face—but…

A light bit of fun to take her mind off of things didn't sound that bad.

_Okay, let's see… Bells. Chimes. Music_. She crossed her arms. _Red. Red Bell. No, that's too boring_. The Heartless were creatures of darkness, so something darkness-related maybe? Red Shadow, Red Shade, Red Night…

Then an idea came to her. "How about Red Nocturne?" Hikaru said hesitantly.

"Ahyuck, that sure sounds fancy," Goofy said with a warm smile that eased some the uncertainty hanging onto her voice.

"What's a nocturne?" Sora asked.

"I think it's music that sounds like nighttime, or something?" Hikaru replied. "My sister's the one who told me about it." Yui tended to have more _refined_ musical tastes and talents in comparison to Hikaru or Akihiko. She had dedicated hours to her craft—not just in practice itself, but also in the late nights spent working in restaurants once she'd been old enough to hold a job in hopes of paying for actual violin lessons.

Hikaru on the other hand… Well, whatever delight she'd once had in playing the piano had dwindled away into a shadow of what it once was. She couldn't even call herself a hobbyist, really. Compared to her siblings, she wasn't really much of anything…

"Isn't that name a bit… much?" Donald asked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at her.

"Maybe it's not much enough," she said dryly, the self-deprecating smile that crossed her face not quite reaching her eyes. Donald stared at her with just the slightest frown.

"Well, Hikaru didn't get to name anything yet, so it's her turn to choose," Sora said before the duck had a chance to argue. "Red Nocturne it is."

Hikaru couldn't help a twinge of satisfaction as she crossed her arms and gave a quick nod. _Thanks, Sora_. She had to admit, it was kind of nice having someone appreciate her ideas.

Then her stomach gave a loud gurgle, and that momentary flash of pride crumbled away.

"Gosh," Jiminy said as he and the others turned to look at her. "Sounds like someone is hungry."

Hikaru cleared her throat, her cheeks heating up. "Do we… have any food?" she asked. She hadn't felt it at first, but now that she was safe and clean and in an overall better mood, the emptiness in her stomach began to set in. Running around Wonderland had worked up an appetite that a handful of magical cookie crumbles couldn't sate.

Goofy lifted a hand over his mouth, stifling a laugh. "There's some canned soup in the cupboard downstairs, if you feel like," he said.

"Ooh, soup," Sora said, perking up. "What kind? Do you guys have chicken noodle? I'm getting kind of hungry too."

Hikaru, though, was markedly less excited. "Oh…" She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, considering they didn't even have a proper stove onboard. Canned soup just seemed unappealing after her fish and chips dinner at Café Crossing, or the delicious red sauce pasta Kairi had made back on the Destiny Islands. She'd had enough canned goods and instant noodles over the past few months to last a lifetime. She scratched her hand, scraping at her bandages to force a stinging pain in her palm that countered her disappointment.

It was something that didn't go unnoticed by Donald. "Hurt your hand?" he asked in a quiet voice as Goofy and Sora talked about what to make for lunch.

Hikaru tensed. "It's fine," she said stiffly.

"I dunno about that," Donald said. "Seems like you have a hard time controlling your magic. You shouldn't push it, or you might really end up hurting yourself."

"I'm used to it," Hikaru replied. She didn't need Donald criticizing her for her poor magic skills; she'd gotten enough of that in the past from her mother.

But rather than berate her, what he said next was… surprising. "Maybe when we reach the next world, I'll give you a few tips on casting." He spoke without turning away from the wide expanse of space that stretched beyond the ship's window. "That way you won't keep burning your hands." There wasn't a hint of irritation or malice in his voice. Hikaru wasn't sure how to response.

"T-thank you," was what she finally settled on.

"Don't mention it," he said. "This whole mission will go by a lot easier without you kids hurting yourselves all the time."

_Ah, there that grumpiness_, Hikaru thought. She'd been starting to wonder if she'd somehow ended up in a different universe or something.

"Hey, I haven't hurt myself," Sora piped up. "Not yet, at least."

"You need some practice too," Donald replied with a scowl. "Especially with that spell that stupid cat gave you. You call that dinky puff of snow a Blizzard?"

"I don't even know how I did that," Sora said, folding his hands behind his head and grinning. "It was pretty _cool_ though, right? Right?"

Hikaru allowed herself a short laugh. "Yes, Sora. Cool indeed."

* * *

They arrived at their next destination several hours later according to Hikaru's pocket watch. Another world surrounded by a cracked barrier awaited them, nestled in a stony debris field between massive fragments of broken land that floated freely in space. Donald pulled the gummi ship to a gentle stop right above the world just as a streak of movement passed them overhead.

"Whoa!" Sora said, looking up at the ships that zoomed through space. "What are those?"

"Heartless, I think," Goofy said with a squint. "The King said there were Heartless wandering around between the worlds too."

"Lovely," Hikaru said, crossing her arms. "Good thing we have guns." The Heartless ships didn't seem to notice them, though; they continued off into the distance without even slowing down.

"Okay, let's get ready to head down," Donald said, rising up from his chair. "Supply check! Make sure you're all stocked up on potions and ethers. We don't want to take any chances."

"What's this world called?" Hikaru asked.

"Chip and Dale said we'll be landin' somewhere near a place called Olympus Coliseum?" Goofy said. "Sounds like they have tournaments there or something. There's a city nearby too."

"A city?" Hikaru said with a perked interest. She'd been to a handful of cities on her travels: the winding canals of Hydraea on Kochab being one, while the other was the Sleepless City, which made up more or less the entirety of Akhfa with its towering buildings and rainy asphalt streets. She wondered how this world would compare.

_Well… Hopefully there's less rain, at least_.

They took turns going through their bags and pockets to count their supplies, pooling together the potions and ethers. When Sora's turn came, he rummaged through his pockets with nothing to show except for a peculiar, and familiar, glass bottle.

"Sora!" Donald said, his eyes widening. "Where did you get that?"

"I took it before we left Wonderland," Sora said, giving the bottle labeled Drink Me a little shake. There wasn't much of the creamy liquid left inside of it, maybe enough for one more sip. "Thought it'd be a nice souvenir, and you never know when shrinking down might come in handy, and… What?" he asked when he saw the flabbergasted look Donald was shooting him. "We already drank most of it."

Hikaru quirked an eyebrow. _Oh, Sora…_ Under that innocent face hid either a devious mastermind, or some incredible honesty—and she had a feeling it was probably the latter.

"Aw, don't worry, Donald," Goofy said. "I'm sure no one's gonna miss it—there's hardly anything left."

The ruffled duck sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes and mumbling something under his breath about world order. "Just… Make sure you don't lose it," he finally said. "The last thing we need is some world local getting their hands on that. Anyway, come on, let's go. We're wasting daylight."

This time when they landed on the world below, they actually _landed_, thank the gods. Hikaru had braced herself for another screaming freefall, but as the light from the gummi ship's transporter faded from her eyes, the soles of her boots hit solid ground.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, and when they did, the first things she saw were an orange sky and a rippling sea of grass. Immediately she was hit by the smell of the air—something fresh and clear mingling with the occasional pungent whiff of manure. They had landed in the middle of a wide dirt road worn by the impressions of hoof prints and narrow wheels. A vast countryside stretched before them, an expanse of vibrant rolling hills marked here and there by plots of farmland where crops grew within the confines of wooden fences, and grazing cows hardly bothered to give them a second glance.

But it was the place just past the farms that drew Hikaru's attention. In one direction, the dirt road cut through the fields, leading towards a sparkling coast where the sun was making its slow descent toward the horizon. There along the craggy coastline stood countless red roofs and white buildings, a sprawling city that overlooked the sea.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Hikaru felt it—a lightness, a tentative excitement rising up to chase away the weight in her chest. _A city _and_ an ocean?_ It was all Hikaru could think of as the shine in her eyes caught the orange sunset. At least for a short moment, her worries fell to the wayside.

"Wow," Donald breathed, rising up on the tips of his webbed feet and shielding his eyes with a hand as he stretched to get a better look at the wooden boats that were coming into the harbor. "Look at that."

"That must be the city Chip and Dale told us about," Goofy said. He looked up at a tall two-way signpost sticking out of the ground next to them. The sign pointing towards the city simply read "Thebes." The other sign pointed in the opposite direction instead said "Mount Olympus."

"Whoa," Sora's voice came behind them. His hand clapped against Hikaru's shoulder, making her start as he gave her a vigorous shake. She turned to see him looking in the other direction, his other hand lifted to point. "Look at that mountain!"

Hikaru followed his gaze, but it wasn't hard to miss. Her eyes widened as she stared across the open plains toward a narrow mountain that jutted up into the sky above the rest of the distant mountain range, taller than any building or mountain she'd ever seen. She couldn't even see the summit beyond the dense cluster of clouds that converged near what she assumed was the top. For a moment, she wondered if she'd somehow taken a swig of Sora's shrinking potion.

Was it a volcano? Hikaru had seen one on Pherkad, the great mountain the locals called Ifrit's Fury because of its temperamental eruptions. But volcano didn't seem quite right. This mountain was so impossibly huge that it seemed more like a ladder to the heavens.

"Wanna go for a hike?" Sora said. By the look on his face, he was probably joking—but a small part of Hikaru found the idea enticing, if only to see what sort of place awaited at the top.

Donald made a face. "Up that thing? No way. Not unless you want to sleep outdoors tonight," he said, spinning around and marching off down the road towards the city. Hikaru and the others followed him a moment later.

It didn't take long to get there. The sun had dropped further by the time they reached the edge of the city, hanging just above the ocean with its orange glow as the eastern sky tinted a darker blue. On their walk, they had glimpsed distant movement in the fields—farmers working to make the most of the light before nightfall—but as they approached the first of the buildings and the marble pillars that marked the entrance to the city, they discovered something quite different from the peace and serenity of the fields.

"Coming through!" a voice called from behind, accompanied by the sound of clicking hooves and rattling wood. Hikaru and the others turned around, seeing a man riding aboard a horse-drawn wagon. They stepped out of the way to let the wagon pass, watching as it rolled past the pillars to the bustling metropolis beyond.

The city was all white and red and gold—lavish white brick buildings and winding stone roads as far as the eye could see, all along the coast and even up a steep hill that overlooked the city, where the largest structure of all of them—some sort of theater or arena by the looks of it—stood. Golden statues of winged beasts perched on the red rooftops like watchful guardians, and Hikaru could see a fountain decorated with a stone serpent that spewed water into the air from its mouth.

But more than big, it was noisy. It was crowded. There were people wandering the streets, dressed in linen robes and belted tunics. There were countless horse-drawn wagons and donkey-drawn carts crisscrossing the roads like cars. There were street-side vendors hawking red ceramic vases and shimmering silks, children weaving between the crowds with little toys like action figures, and in the center of all of it, one particularly large cluster of people who seemed to be congregating on something out of sight.

Hikaru had never seen anything like it. She'd seen a city, sure—but there was something so different about this place. Everything seemed to be white stone and marble, not concrete or metal. No asphalt streets, no glass windows—and best of all, no bone-chilling rain. There was a certain antiquity to it—closer to Hydraea than the Sleepless City—and almost ancient, like the stuff she'd seen in museums about the world during the Age of the Gods, back before the Ursid worlds had been torn from each other.

"Wow," Hikaru said, a sentiment that was echoed by Sora.

"This is… amazing!" Sora said as he looked around with wide-eyed wonder. He craned his neck, turning to get a full view of the city, taking a step forward—

—and immediately getting pulled back by Hikaru and Goofy, who seized him by the hood of his jacket and hauled him out of the street. A wagon towing a stack of crates rushed by, so close that Hikaru felt the wind whip through her hair.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" the driver called back, shaking his fist in the air.

_Yep, this is a city alright_, Hikaru thought dryly. "You okay, Sora?" she said, turning to him and helping him straighten out his jacket.

"Y-yeah…" He tugged at the collar of his shirt as Goofy patted him on the shoulder. His eyes were wide still, though for a different reason than before. "That was close…"

"Sora, pay attention! You gotta look both ways before you cross," Donald said. "Look." He nodded to where a man stood at the edge of the street, holding up a vase with an image of a hand painted in red. A moment later, he lowered it, raising another vase with the image of a green person in his other hand. Traffic stopped, and the pedestrians waiting at the edge of the street began to cross.

Huh… So this must have been a lower technology area. "Innovative," Hikaru said.

"Let's look around!" Sora said, the grin returning to his face. He looked both ways this time before taking a tentative step into the street and making his way across with the tide of people.

Goofy chuckled. "Gawrsh, he sure is excited."

"Can't say I blame him," Hikaru said, and she had to smile too. She remembered what it had been like when she first moved to the big city. "… We should probably follow him before he gets lost."

"Oh boy," Donald sighed.

* * *

High above the streets of Thebes, two men watched the city from the red rooftops, unnoticed by the bustling crowd below. The taller of them—a man of smoke and darkness, whose pale blue skin and head of flickering and fiery hair betrayed his origins as something _beyond_ human—paced along the edge of the roof with his thin and spidery fingers moving through the air as he spoke.

"Okay, so what if that old goat delayed the tournament?" Hades said. "I think this works out in our favor. Who needs all those rules and regulations anyway? No need to worry about wasting time with the brackets—now we can cut straight to the chase and… Are you even listening to me?" The God of the Dead turned, scowling at the spiky-haired soldier who sat perched on the tile with a flock of curious pigeons at his feet and a handful of seeds in his palm.

Cloud didn't even give him a glance. Slowly, he tipped his hand, letting the seeds tumble through the golden claws of his gauntlet and scatter across the roof. The pigeons pecked at their food, completely unperturbed by the fiery god standing just a few feet away.

"Hello? Earth to Blondie. Am I talking to a corpse or what? Ah, who am I kidding—even the dead have more to say than brooders like you." Hades crossed his arms and sauntered over to the young man. At his swift approach, the pigeons scattered in a flurry of wings and white feathers. "Look, you do this, and I'll fulfill my end of the bargain. That's why you came to me, right? So just jump right in and take out Blunder Boy while he least expects in."

Cloud watched the birds as they fluttered down to the streets. They landed around the fountain, settling down on open spaces and basking in the misty spray of the water that spilled from the stone dragon's jaws. From there, Cloud's eyes traveled to the nearby throng of people—a dense cluster of men, women, and children all clamoring to reach the brawny warrior standing in the middle of it all.

So… This was the one. The one everyone called a hero.

Cloud pursed his lips behind the tattered red scarf that covered the lower half of his face. "No civilians," he said.

"Well, I can't make any promises. Who knows how an all-out brawl might turn out?" Hades said casually. "But… Tell you what—since I'm such a nice guy, I'll give you some back up, help to clear out some space in the crowd. What do you say?"

"Fine." Cloud rose to his feet, reaching over his shoulder for the handle of the massive sword strapped to his back. "Let's just get this over with."

* * *

Sora didn't know where to start.

He weaved between the crowd, struggling to peer over the tide of people brushing past him. There were so many people—so _many_ people, more people than he'd ever seen in his life! There in the streets, things felt almost uncomfortably claustrophobic. Wherever he walked, there was always someone at least within arm's length, or even closer in some cases, bumping and jostling him around.

But the crowds could hardly stop him. A whole city rose up around him, all sorts of sights and sounds and smells—oh, man, the mouth-watering smells…

"Gyros! Get your fresh hot gyros!" a voice called. Sora spotted the food stall at the edge of the road—a tiny wooden setup that sort of reminded Sora of the summer festivals back home. A man in a tunic turned a spit of meat by hand while round slabs of flatbread baked next to him in a portable wood-burning oven.

Sora squeezed through the crowd until he reached that bit of free breathing space in front of the food stall. "What's a _yer-oh_?" he asked.

"What's a gyro?" the stall owner repeated in disbelief. "What's a gyro he says… Well, I'll tell you, kid, Irenaeus's Specialty Gyros are the best food this side of the Asopos—and for the affordable price of 200 munny, one can be yours today."

"Sounds great! I'll have one," Sora said. He reached into his pockets, pausing a moment when he realized his current financial situation. "… Uh… One second…"

"Sora!"

"Guys!" Sora turned around to see the others making their way over. Hikaru was the first to reach him, pressing forward past all the people with only a mild grimace on her face. Donald and Goofy on the other hand lagged behind, struggling to squeeze through the crowd.

"Slow down, Sora," Hikaru said. "We almost lost you. You're lucky we could follow that head of spiky hair."

"Oh, uh…" He gave a light chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away. But look—I found this guy, he's selling something called a gyro. Doesn't it smell great?" Mm, he could smell that roasting meat and those spices all day. "Hikaru, do you think I can, uh… borrow some munny?"

She blinked. "Yeah, sure… But you owe me," she added after a moment with a quirk of her lips as she pulled a fistful of change out of her pocket. "Make that two," she said, looking at the gyro man.

"Make that four," Goofy called out as he and Donald walked over, finally free of the crowd.

"Coming right up," the man said, grabbing a knife to slice the chunks of meat off of the spit. A few minutes later, he handed over four wraps made with flat bread, lamb, vegetables, and some sort of tangy yogurt sauce.

"This place is great," Sora said as he chewed. "I've never been anywhere like this before!"

"I guess your home wasn't this busy then, ahyuck," Goofy said.

"No way," Sora said. "I don't think this many people even lived on the islands." Was this the sort of world Riku wanted to see so bad? Sora was starting to understand a little better. Traverse Town may have been a pretty cool place, and Wonderland was… well, _Wonderland_… But a big city like this was something else.

He only wished Riku and Kairi were there to see it too. He wished everyone back home could have seen…

"So, where do we start looking?" Hikaru asked, swallowing her food before speaking.

"We could try asking around," Donald said. "… That might take a while though…"

"D'ya think we should check out that there building up the hill?" Goofy pointed towards the large arena-like complex at the top of tallest hill in the city. "It sure looks important."

"Hmm… Well…"

Sora hardly paid attention to the conversation. His eyes wandered to the various shops and food carts and buildings. And statues too—there were a number of statues visible just from the square, including the biggest of them all, a statue of a broad-shouldered man in armor flexing his massive muscles. _Wonder who that guy is supposed to be_, he thought, taking another bite of his gyro as he dropped his gaze to the crowd gathered near the statue. _Wait a minute…_

There was a man standing in the center of the crowd, taller than most so Sora could see his smiling face and wavy red hair rising up above all the people clamoring to meet him. Sora looked at the statue, and then at the man, and back to the statue once again.

Yep. Same guy.

"Hey, look," he said, tapping Hikaru's shoulder and nodding towards the red-haired man, who seemed to be writing on stone blocks and pieces of parchment offered up by the eager crowd. "What do you think that's all about?"

"Looks like he's signing things maybe," Hikaru said, taking another bite of her gyro.

Goofy scratched his chin. "Must be some kinda celebrity… Do you wanna check it out?"

"Sure!" Sora said. He'd never met a celebrity before.

They started forward, Sora leading the way across the plaza with some difficulty. It took a little bit of winding around the moving bodies and dodging through open spaces, with Donald and Goofy following his path a few steps behind. Hikaru on the other hand pushed her way through the flow of people, seemingly a lot less bothered by all the jostling.

She paused, however, coming to an abrupt stop at the very edge of the excited bunch that clustered around the brawny red-haired man like tightly packed sardines.

"Hercules, Hercules, can I get your autograph?"

"Hercules, smile for the painter!"

"Hercules, will you go on a date with me?"

"What's wrong, Hikaru?" Sora asked, looking at her and the sudden unease that crossed her face. Behind him, Donald and Goofy finally caught up.

She glanced around. "I thought… I thought I felt something—"

Someone screamed.

It was a noise that rose up from across the open square. The effect seemed to ripple across the crowd, lowering the chatter until it was just the murmur of confused whispers—and then more screams, and more shouts, all from different directions.

"MONSTERS! RUN!"

"Monsters?" Sora held out his hand automatically, preparing to summon the Keyblade. But before he could even manage that, he gave a cry as someone knocked him to the ground in a flurry of screams and footsteps. The whole crowd scattered in a mad stampede. Sora covered his head with his hands, watching the sandaled feet pounding against the ground past him while Hikaru, Donald, and Goofy shouted his name.

"Sora!"

Someone grabbed him by the arm in a powerful grip, hauling him back to his feet in one swift motion. Sora winced a little at the way his shoulder bent, but when he looked up, he saw the muscular red-haired man standing over him.

"Are you okay?" the man asked, releasing him. He looked at Sora, concern in his blue eyes—calm in comparison to the flood of chaos fleeing the plaza.

"Fine," Sora managed to say. Luckily not trampled. He rubbed his shoulder and looked around, spotting the source of all the panic—at least a dozen Soldiers and Large Bodies spawning in bursts of swirling, shadowy wisps. "Heartless!" He'd figured as much!

"More of those monsters, huh?" the red-haired man said. He held a hand out, blocking Sora's way as he stepped forward. "You guys get to safety. I'll handle this!" He rushed off before Sora could protest, going straight for the nearest group of Heartless.

"Wait!" Donald called after him. "Those things are dangerous!"

But a laugh rose up from behind him, accompanied by the clicking of hooves against stone. "Dangerous?" a rough voice came. "Hey wise guy, do you even know who you're talking to?"

Sora turned around, hesitating when his eyes landed on a… Well, it was a man by the looks of it, short and stout—hardly reaching Sora's waist in height—with a hefty belly and a receding hairline. But the thing Sora couldn't help staring at was the man's legs. His furry, hooved goat legs.

"What're you looking at?" the goat man asked, crossing his arms and returning the stare.

"Uh… Nothing," Sora said.

"Yeah, that's right—nothing. Anyway, you pipsqueaks better just run along now. Hercules has everything under control."

"Hercules?" Goofy said.

The goat man nodded. "You know, Hercules? Hero of Thebes? Champion of the Coliseum?" At their blank stares, the goat man just sighed. "Yeesh… Darn tourists… Look, Hercules is my star protégé, and he doesn't need anyone butting in when he's on the job. So just find somewhere to hide until it's safe—otherwise you'll just get yourselves hurt."

"But those creatures are the Heartless," Sora said. "It's _our_ job to stop them. We should help."

"A runt like you? You fighting monsters?" The goat man laughed again, slapping his stomach as he teetered back on his hooves. "A runt, a duck, a dog, and a girl? Oh, man, that's rich."

Sora pouted. He caught the expressions of his friends out of the corner of his eye while they watched at the chortling goat man; Donald glared, his wings crossed tightly in front of his body, while Goofy looked a little confused and Hikaru's eye twitched.

"Listen here, satyr," Hikaru started to say, stepping forward.

"Aw, forget it," Sora said, turning back towards the matter at hand. The Keyblade flashed to his grasp. "Come on, let's help that Hercules guy out."

"Haha, ha, haha… Wait…" The goat man's laughter subsided as Sora and the others started towards the battle. "Hey, wait! It's not safe!"

Sora didn't even look back. He'd show this guy that he was no runt.

* * *

They only made it halfway to the battle before more Heartless appeared out of bubbling portals. Hikaru grimaced, clutching her staff as the Soldiers surrounded them. This close she could almost taste it, that nauseating surge of darkness that sent icy pins stabbing into her heart. As the portals faded away, so did the sensation of pain thumping in her chest—but there was no time to be relieved.

"Watch out!" Goofy said, raising his shield in front of her and blocking as one of the Soldiers came hurtling forward with a powerful kick. The blow collided against his shield with a metallic clang that echoed across the plaza. Goofy shoved back, throwing the Heartless to the ground.

Hikaru's hand tingled as she mustered up her magic, but a throbbing came at her bandage-wrapped wounds and she hesitated before the spark could ignite. She grimaced, cutting the Fire spell short and swinging her staff instead, bringing it down on the fallen Heartless with all her might. It took three strikes, but on the final slam, the Soldier burst apart into smoke, and Hikaru took a deep breath as she glanced around at the other Heartless closing in.

"Thunder!" Donald shouted, raising his staff into the air. A series of narrow lightning bolts dropped from the sky, slamming into the rest of the Soldiers. Electricity sparked over their twitching bodies, holding them paralyzed in place. It gave Sora enough time to slip past them.

"Sora, wait!" Hikaru cried as he rushed forward.

He didn't bother stopping, though. "Hey, look out!" he called to the muscular man who was fighting off the entire horde with wide and sweeping swings of his sword. One Soldier leaped onto Hercules's back, clawing at his shoulder. The other Heartless took the opportunity to spring, dogpiling on top of Hercules until the only part of him that was visible was his sword-wielding arm. "Blizza—!" Sora started to say, aiming his Keyblade.

Suddenly, Hercules shoved himself up off of the ground, throwing the Heartless back in a burst of golden light. A pair of Large Bodies moved in next with their slow and lumbering steps. Hercules raised a fist, slugging one of them in the face. With just that single blow, the Heartless exploded into wisps. The other Large Body raised its own fist to retaliate, but before it could even swing, Hercules ducked down, hoisting the round Heartless over his shoulder with shocking ease. With just a mild grunt, he flung the Large Body clear across the plaza.

"Holy shit," Hikaru said, her eyes wide as she paused, her staff raised over her shoulder mid-swing.

"… W-whoa," Sora said, lowering the Keyblade.

"Y'know, I don't think he needs our help," Goofy remarked.

But something moved above, a glint of metal in the evening light, and a shadow flickering overhead.

Hercules dove out of the way as a massive sword came hurtling out of the sky. The sword, nearly the size of a full-grown adult, slammed point down, its gleaming bandage-wrapped blade sinking deep into the stone. A hand tipped in golden claws grasped the hilt of the sword, slowly pulling it free from the ground to reveal the wielder standing behind it.

It was a man. Most of his face was obscured by a tattered red scarf, but his spiky blond hair stuck up in all directions. He didn't bother giving Hikaru or Sora or the rest of them a second glance—his gaze was focused on only Hercules. But even from far away, the cold fixation Hikaru saw in his eyes made her shiver.

"Let me guess," Hercules said casually, lifting his own sword which seemed rather tiny in comparison to the stranger's absurdly large blade. "These monsters are with you?"

The man said nothing, raising his sword in both hands before rushing forward.

Donald blasted apart the last of the Heartless with a Fire spell as the two fighters collided in a flurry of clashing blades. "What's that guy's problem?" he asked.

"If he's with the Heartless, he's gotta be a bad guy!" Goofy said, his expression turning serious as he readied his shield. "We should help that Hercules fella!"

It sounded like the right thing to do, but how? Hercules and the mysterious man fought relentlessly, just a back and forth exchange of blows and dodging. Hercules seemed to hold his own well enough, but Hikaru could tell who had the growing advantage based on weapons alone. With that giant blade swinging at him, Hercules had no time or space to get a good hit in.

"I got it!" Sora said. He pulled his arm back, planting his feet firmly against the ground and hurling the Keyblade forward.

The spiky-haired man saw the attack coming. He just moved his giant sword to block, letting the Keyblade slam against the flat of his blade before it clattered harmlessly to the ground. But he took one look at the Keyblade, and something made him falter for just a moment. "What…?"

The Keyblade vanished in a flash of light, returning to Sora's hand just as Hercules rushed in for a heavy punch. This time the spiky-haired man had no chance to react. He went flying under the force of the punch, tumbling across the ground. Quickly he rolled back to his feet, pushing himself upright and wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He adjusted his grasp on his sword as Hercules moved in again, but then his gaze flickered to Sora.

Something billowed out from behind the man, a mass of something dark and wide. A single leather wing erupted from the man's back, and he took off into the air, dodging as Hercules reached to grab him. With his giant sword in tow, the man soared off past the buildings surrounding the plaza and disappeared out of sight before anyone could stop him.

* * *

It was all cautious steps and careful glances. Slowly, the people began to spill from their hiding places, emerging from behind crates and stalls and alleyways and filing into the plaza. The silence left in the wake of the battle began to fade under the rising voices and the shuffling of footsteps.

"Hercules did it again!" someone cheered from the sidelines.

And like that, the noise and activity of the city returned.

Hikaru and the others watched as the crowds began to form again. The red-haired man just scratched his head and waved to all the people who were calling his name and cheering. Despite the tussle, he didn't seem any worse for wear. _That guy's strong_, Hikaru thought. _He's definitely had his share of battles before_. Maybe they wouldn't have to worry too much about fighting here. That would be nice, at least—sort of a break from all the danger.

Though that man with the sword, whoever he was… He was still out in the city somewhere. _Was he really working with the Heartless?_ Goofy was right—anyone who allied themselves with those monsters couldn't be good news. Maybe they wouldn't have as big a break as she initially thought.

What else did she expect from a big city like this?

"See? What'd I tell ya?" a familiar gruff voice came. The pot-bellied satyr marched over to them, arms crossed as he stared with more than a little smugness on his face. "Herc's got it covered."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed. Was every world going to have a small and rude being following them around and making snide remarks? She wasn't sure whether she'd rather have him or the Cat. She still remembered that tone of voice from when this satyr had called her "girl."

"Hey, we helped too," Sora said. "There were those Heartless and…"

The satyr laughed. "You may have the skills to handle a few of the small fry, but that doesn't mean you can handle the big boys," he said.

"Aw, come on, Phil. I think they did pretty good."

"Herc!" The satyr looked up, eyes widening as the big muscle man himself walked over, freeing himself of the crowd. Standing this close, it became apparent how much Hercules towered over them, almost as tall and grand as the marble statue of him watching over the city. He was a big guy, to say the least—and yet, there was something in his demeanor that seemed kind and open. Despite his size and his apparent strength, he wasn't intimidating in the least.

"The name's Hercules," he said pleasantly. "This is Philoctetes, my coach—you can just call him Phil. Don't mind him, he's always hard on the rookies."

"Rookies?" Goofy repeated.

"You guys aren't hurt, right?" Hercules asked, looking to each of them in turn.

"No, we're fine," Sora said, straightening his back and holding himself taller than Hikaru had ever seen him try. "We've fought those things before. It's sort of our job."

"Yeah," Donald said with a nod. "We're professionals!"

"Professional clowns, more like," Phil muttered, earning himself a light nudge in the side by Hercules.

_Oh, boy_, Hikaru thought, crossing her arms and doing her best to keep herself from raising an eyebrow at Sora and Donald's antics.

"Professionals, huh?" Hercules said with a knowing smile. "Well, those things started appearing in the city not too long ago… Since you guys have experience fighting them, maybe you can tell us more about them. Why don't you come by the Coliseum where it's a little less… ah, crowded?" As he spoke, he glanced over his shoulder to the crowd of people still waiting and watching him with almost alarming intensity.

"Wait, what?" Phil blinked. "Invite _them_ to the Coliseum? These pipsqueaks?"

"Why not? Come on, Phil—they know more about those creatures than we do. Let's hear what they have to say, at least."

"We'd be happy to help a hero," Sora said proudly before Phil could argue.

"We have some questions we'd like to ask too, if you don't mind," Goofy added.

Phil crossed his arms. "Kid," he said, looking up at Hercules, "if you think pipsqueaks like these will be of any help, you've got another thing, coming."

"Doesn't hurt to listen," Hercules replied. "Plus, don't you remember who else used to be pipsqueak like them?"

Something about his words made Phil pause. The satyr looked at Hercules, and then to Sora especially, who made an effort to puff out his chest. Then he sighed. "Alright, alright, fine, have it your way. Bring the runts with us," Phil said. "Not like we don't already let reckless kids in…"

Hercules smiled. "Thanks, Phil! You're the best," he said, crouching down and giving the satyr a not-so-gentle punch in the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know," the satyr said gruffly, screwing up his face into a scowl as he rubbed his rapidly bruising arm.

And yet, as he turned away, Hikaru could have almost sworn she saw him smile.

* * *

Everything was peaceful in the gardens at the edge of the city. Hardly anyone bothered to visit at this time of day, with the sun nearly vanished beneath the horizon and the sky turned a dark and star-specked blue. As Cloud sat at the edge of the pond, one leg propped up with his elbow resting against his knee, the only sounds came from the chirping crickets and the trickling of water.

That is, until the Lord of the Dead himself decided to finally make his appearance.

"Excuse me, Mr. Angst," the fiery-haired god said, appearing in a puff of smoke. The smell of sulfur wafted from his dark tunic, making Cloud grimace. "Tell me—what part of the contract, exactly, said to _run away_ from the man you're supposed to kill? Because I can't think of any other reason why you would let Wonder Breath go when I basically served him up on a silver platter for you. I mean, really, he was _right there_—"

"There were civilians there," Cloud said. "That kid—"

"Oh, so _now_ you decide it's a good time to be _noble_ and _decent_." Hades rolled his eyes. "What difference does one snot-nosed brat make? You've already agreed to off one innocent sap. Might as well go all in, am I right? But—look, I'm a nice guy. I'll give you another chance, no strings attached. We'll just find another place where we can get Jerkules alone and—"

Cloud glared at him. "The deal's off," he said.

"WHAT?!" Hades all but exploded, his skin and his flames flaring up in a bright red color that lit up the garden. "Don't tell me you're backing out of this deal! _You_ are the one who came to _me_!"

"And I'm the one who doesn't need your help anymore," Cloud said coolly. "Looks like you'll need a new mercenary."

Hades glowered at him. The grass under his feet burned and blackened, a foul stench that filled the air. Cloud did his best to ignore him.

"Grrr… Fine!" Hades shouted. "Who needs a spineless soldier like you? There's plenty of other saps ripe for the picking. But believe me, kid—you won't be getting off easy for this!"

There was another puff of smoke, and Hades vanished, leaving behind only a ring of scorched grass where he'd once stood. Cloud just stared at it a few moment, watching the red embers fade away until only ash remained. Then he turned, facing the water and all the stars reflected in its smooth glassy surface.

"That kid," he muttered to the wind, tightening his hands into fists.

_A Keyblade, huh?_

* * *

A/N: And so begins our adventure in the next world.

Olympus has quite a bit of changes to it for the sake of the story, due to following a bit truer to the movie in some of the setting points. One is that I wanted to avoid was doing the tournament format (at least for _this_ visit; no promises on the future, hehe). I've always wanted to put more focus on Thebes itself rather than just the Coliseum, so it turned out to be a perfect opportunity. Additionally, I've shifted the Coliseum's location from the top of the mountain as it is in the games (or at least, the games not KH3), and placed it in the city like I believe it is in the movie. Makes a bit more sense that the Coliseum would be more accessible for the townspeople who might want to watch.

Also, did you guys catch those Final Fantasy references at the beginning? :D

But what other surprises await in the next chapter? Hmm... I wonder...

Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? We've got kind of a bit of everything here, and some hopefully interesting shifts to the canon plot! The chapter length got a little bit away from me though; I had to figure out how to end it without letting it go for too long. Let me know what you think by dropping a review! Feedback is always appreciated.

I'd like to give a big thank you to all the people who have been reading the story so far. Super big thanks to Lunar Abyss, BlissfulNightRain, Sugoi, Painted With a Palette, Is Og Ild, Xxser3ndipityxX, and readingchameleon for the reviews! And major thanks to my beta BarrelMaker for assisting me while I stressed the eff out over figuring out how to end this chapter. You guys make my day :)

And real quick before I go, there's a poll on my profile regarding the future Disney worlds of this story. I just wanted to get an idea of what you guys would like to see. Check it out! (I probably won't leave it up for that long.)

Thank you so much! Until next time.


	13. The Lion in the Coliseum

7/1/19: Hey everyone, Tempura here with the next chapter of Re-sketch! Today we continue with our adventure in Thebes and get introduced to an... unfamiliar face? This chapter is a little interesting, and I think you'll see what I mean once we get there.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 13: The Lion in the Coliseum

"Okay, so what if that little ray of sunshine decided to rain on our parade? It's hardly a setback. Doesn't mean a thing. There are plenty of ways to take out Hercules. The question now is just, which direction do we take this wild ride?"

The God of the Underworld paced along the cave's edge, just a dim blue glow in the darkness of the falling night, while his two imp cronies watched him from the sidelines. The cave was a preferred spot of his; looking over Thebes, it gave him the perfect view of all the poor mortal morons scampering through the city streets.

"No, you know what?" Hades said after a moment, shaking his head. "Pause on the Hercules thing. I got all the time in the world to take care of Blunder Boy. First things first, we deal with Blondie."

"Oh, yes," the shorter and redder of the imps, Pain, said. "Teach that Cloud guy a lesson!"

"No one backs out on a deal with Hades," the taller and bluer one, Panic, added.

"But how to do it?" Hades scratched his chin with a long finger as he thought. "We could find another gullible fool thirsting for power—never a shortage of those in a place like this. But that doesn't have the right _oomph_, you get what I'm saying?"

"I know a certain cave just outside the city with a multi-headed monster," Pain suggested.

"No, not worth wasting the Hydra on this," Hades said, shaking his head. "That's our big red button—in case of emergencies only, and by emergencies, I mean Hercules. Now, I _could_ just sic Cerberus on Mr. Tall, Dark, and Spiky… but where's the fun in that? No, this kid deserves…" He paused.

Wait. Waaaaait one minute.

Kid?

"That brat with the ridiculously big shoes. That's the one Maleficent told us about," Hades said slowly. That kid—Sora, was his name? Hero of the Keyblade, accompanied by his band of bumbling sidekicks.

A hero, huh?

Hades felt a vicious smirk cross his lips. "This… This could work."

* * *

"Alright, and here it is—the one and only Coliseum," Phil said when they finally reached the gigantic set of wooden doors awaiting them at top of the hill. Sora and Donald looked the most exhausted, plopping down on the last step at the end of their steep climb while Goofy took a moment to stretch his arms and legs. Hikaru had to brace her hands against her knees while she sipped at the cool night air.

"You pipsqueaks already tired from a little evening stroll?" Phil asked, crossing his arms. "Looks like you guys could use a little more training before you even think of a career in monster hunting." Never mind that he'd had to take a break halfway up the hill for his aching hooves.

"We get by," Sora said, able to muster only half a pout—not that he could maintain it for long. "… I don't like stairs."

"No one does," Donald replied, rubbing his face.

"Aw, I thought it was a nice workout," Goofy said, reaching down to touch his toes.

After recovering enough to move again, they slipped through the double doors and found themselves in a large courtyard. Golden pedestals cracked with flames along the perimeter, casting their orange light against the white stone walls and the two giant statues of sword-wielding gladiators that stood as an archway over the building's entrance across the square.

But there was something else too—or rather… some_one_? A lumpy shape was sprawled across the entrance steps, huddled under a shoddily sewn patchwork jacket right at the other end of the courtyard. Hikaru couldn't make much else out as they approached, other than a large tawny paw and a twitching tail tipped with a tuft of matching fur.

"Oh, jeez," Phil muttered, walking over with his hooves clicking against the ground. "Kid. Kid!" He delivered a light kick into the figure's side. "Hey, earth to Lion Boy—what're you doing here? Ain't it past your bedtime?"

The shape under the oversized jacket moved, and the person underneath sat up. It was a boy—or at least, a boy of sorts. He looked to be about Hikaru's age, with a dense head of tawny hair and bleary blue eyes. But his mouth opened in a wide yawn as he stretched, revealing a set of dangerously sharp canines. "Oh, hey Phil… S'up Herc?" he said, his voice a throaty rasp as he rubbed his eyes with one of his massive paws. "Coliseum open yet?"

"Is that's what you've been waiting for, Lyon?" Hercules asked, crossing his arms and laughing. "Shouldn't you be heading home already?"

The lion boy's fur-covered ears perked up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Go home? No way, Big Guy," he said, springing to his feet. "I've been waiting here all day for you guys to get back. I can't shirk on training, even if it means I have to be here all night!" He bounced around on his heels, raising his paws up like fists. "So, who're these weirdos? New recruits? I'll take them!"

"Weirdos?!" Donald quacked, eyes narrowing.

"Whoa there, tiger," Phil said. "Don't go biting off more than your big mouth can chew. They're here on official business—nothing a rookie like you needs to know."

The boy's ears flattened, annoyance flashing across his face. "Who're you calling a tiger?"

"What, you wanna be a housecat instead?" Phil gave him a shove towards the doors. "If you want to use the arena, fine—just clean up after yourself this time, ya hear? I don't want to see any weights on the floor when you leave."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Goat Man," the lion boy said, waving those shoving hands away and earning himself a smack in the back of the head. "Ow! Okay, okay, I'm going! Jeez…"

"Sorry about that," Hercules said, scratching his head as the lion boy disappeared through the doors. "He's a new trainee."

"Kid's got spirit—I'll give him that. Not a lot of tact, though," Phil remarked. "Well, hopefully he'll be too busy futzing around in the arena to bother us. Let's just get this whole chat done and over with."

* * *

"So you really haven't seen anyone?" Goofy asked once the explanations were finished, his ears drooping a little more than usual. It didn't take much time to get through the conversation. Hikaru and the others took up seats along the benches in the empty vestibule, a warm room of smooth stone and flickering firelight, where countless medals and trophies inscribed with various names adorned the walls. Hercules stood with his arms crossed, while Phil took to tidying the place up as they spoke.

"Sorry," Hercules said, sympathy evident on his face. "No one like your friends have come by the Coliseum—at least, not that I know of."

At that, the four of them sighed. Even Hikaru, who'd taken care to temper her expectations because gods only knew how many worlds were out there to search, gave a heavy exhale through her nose. _Oh, well_, she thought. At least she couldn't say she was surprised.

"But you know," Hercules said after a moment, making them all look up, "Thebes is a big city, so there's still a chance that they might be around somewhere. Doesn't hurt to look around a little longer."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up," Phil said without glancing away from the plaque he was polishing with an old rag. "Even if they are here, they might've run into trouble… Angry harpies, shady thugs, or even that winged guy and his gang of… What did you say they were called again?"

"Heartless," Hikaru said. They had decided that telling them the name wouldn't be meddling too much—especially given that it had been some time since the yellow-eyed beasts first started making their appearances around Thebes. "And we're sure our friends are fine," she added stubbornly.

"Hey, no need to give me that look, Red. I'm just being realistic here," Phil said. "The world's a big place, and Thebes ain't the best spot for a bunch of kids to go running around on their own. There's danger around every corner."

"We can handle danger," Sora said, straightening up and aiming a thumb at his chest.

"Hah. Like in the plaza, right?" Phil said. "I don't recall you doing much except waving around that oversized key of yours. You should just leave the battles to the _real_ heroes."

That made Sora's confident smile slip away into an annoyed frown. "But we are real heroes," he said.

"Yeah, he's the hero of the Keyblade!" Goofy chimed in with a pat on the shoulder.

"And we're heroes too!" Donald added.

"Yeah, sure you are." Phil chuckled to himself. "I bet you wouldn't even last an hour of hero training."

Sora's expression perked up. "I bet we would!" he said, jumping to his feet.

"What?" Hikaru looked to him, eyes widening. "Sora, what are you…?"

"We can do an hour of hero training—all four of us—no sweat," he said eagerly. "And then we'll show you that we're real heroes. Right guys?"

Donald and Goofy nodded, sitting up straight and puffing out their chests. Hikaru turned to stare at them, brows creased as she opened her mouth to protest.

But Hercules spoke before she could get her words out. "I like that attitude," he said with a light smile. "Well, Phil? Sounds like you got them all fired up. Feel like running them through the ol' routine?"

"Hmp." Phil set the commemorative plaque and cleaning rag down. "Alright, fine by me. If these kids are so sure they have what it takes, then this should be a cakewalk for them. And if not, well…" He chuckled, walking towards the darkened hallway that led away from the vestibule. "Arena's this way. Hope you have the muscle hiding under those noodle arms to back up those big words—otherwise you runts'll be getting a rough lesson in what it takes to be a hero."

"Bring it on," Sora said, thumping a fist against his chest as he moved to follow Phil and Hercules down the hall. Donald and Goofy hurried after them too with renewed excitement in their steps.

Hikaru, though, lingered behind in the vestibule a moment longer, silently cursing Sora and his big mouth. _I didn't sign up for this!_ she grumbled to herself. But no one noticed her lagging behind, so with a loud sigh, she reluctantly trudged after them anyway.

* * *

"Sora, why'd you have to drag _me_ into this?" Hikaru asked once they had gathered in the arena for Phil's training exercise. It was a wide and open space, bigger than the courtyard, where rows of empty stone seats lined the right and left borders for potential audiences, and various pieces of exercise equipment were scattered across the floor.

"Huh?" Sora blinked. "You mean… you don't want to do some training?"

"Not really," Hikaru said—and that was putting it lightly. She tapped her fingers along her staff as she glanced around.

Phil had set aside a clear space for them in a corner of the arena closest to the exit, leaving them standing there while he and Hercules went to get the rest of the training gear. On the other side of the battlefield, that lion boy from earlier preoccupied himself with his weightlifting and pushups, though even from this distance Hikaru could feel his curious gaze flicker over to them every so often.

"Aw, don't worry, Hikaru," Goofy said. "It'll be fun! Doin' exercises and training was always one of my favorite parts of the day back at Disney Castle. It really gets your heart workin'!"

"Yeah, Goofy's right!" Sora nodded. Funny, considering how much he'd been content to goof around back when they'd been on the Destiny Islands. "Don't you want to prove yourself to Phil?" he added.

Hikaru pursed her lips. "I don't have anything to prove to that goat," she said. She hadn't followed them on this journey to show off some nonexistent strength. "I already know I'm no hero…"

She'd said it more to herself, but apparently it was loud enough for them to hear. "What do you mean?" Sora asked, blinking again. "You've been fighting the Heartless too."

"Aw, you shouldn't go talking like that, Hikaru," Goofy said, patting her shoulder and leaning over to get a good look at her face. "That'll just get you down. You should try being more positive."

"Yeah, and confident," Sora said. "Remember when you showed up Donald back in Traverse Town with that Fire spell? Just like that."

Donald snorted. "'Showed up'? No way," he said, crossing his arms and looking away pointedly. "I was just being nice, letting her come along. Extra hands on deck and everything."

"I dunno if I'd really call shouting at us _nice_," Sora replied, though he cracked a smile as he said it.

Hikaru's lips twitched, but she couldn't quite smile herself. It hadn't been confidence driving her actions when she'd demanded a space on the gummi ship. Guilt, shame, desperation—all feelings she'd become intimately familiar with over the years, brought to a bubbling point because she'd been left with no other option aside from waiting in Traverse Town and wasting the sunless days away.

She wasn't sure how Sora did it. Benefit of being chosen by a legendary magical weapon, she supposed. Sure, she could see it in his eyes sometimes—a moment's uncertainty, or a shadow of disappointment—but despite their similar situations, Sora was the one who handled this whole ordeal in stride, learning and adapting and finding a role for himself, so simple and carefree like… well…

_Like how I used to be_. The quiet thought crept into the forefront of her mind as Phil and Hercules returned with a cart stacked toweringly high with ceramic vases and wooden barrels.

"Alright, here's how this is gonna go," Phil wheezed as he struggled to roll one of the barrels over. Hercules, on the other hand, dragged the entire cart across the arena floor without breaking a sweat. "We're gonna begin with something simple—an obstacle course."

"Obstacle course?" Sora repeated with renewed interest. They watched Hercules as he wandered around the arena and stacked several dozen barrels in various spots and patterns in their sectioned off corner.

"Well, sort of," Phil said. He gave the barrel beside him a pat, his hand slapping against the wooden container with a dull and hollow thunk. "The aim of the game is to smash as many of these old wine barrels Herc is setting up as you can. Weapons, magic, your own fists—give us whatever you got."

"Sounds easy enough!" Donald said.

"Heh, that's what you think," Phil said, a smirk crossing his face. "I haven't even told you the best part yet. While you clowns preoccupy yourselves with that, Herc here will be chucking these vases at you. It's your job to bust them before _they_ can bust _you_."

"Don't worry—I won't go too hard on you guys," Hercules added, brushing his hands off once he finished setting up the course.

_Oh, boy_, Hikaru thought. She could only imagine how much it would hurt getting hit by something this guy threw.

By contrast, Sora and Donald seemed eager and ready to go. Sora had his Keyblade propped over his shoulder, a certain restless bounce to his step as he rocked on his heels, while Donald stood tall and proud and utterly unconcerned with the challenge ahead.

Goofy, though, took a moment to look to Hikaru. "Are you up for this, Hikaru?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, glancing over to the others and their excited faces. "I guess," she said finally. _If the others are doing it, I should at least try my best too_. Plus, a barrel-breaking course didn't seem _that_ hard… Right?

"Ready?" Phil said, resting his hands on his furry hips as he looked to each of them in turn and received a series of nods in response. "Alright, Herc, take it away!"

The first vase came hurtling towards them almost before they could react. Goofy raised his shield, just barely blocking the vase that shattered on impact and knocked him off his feet.

"Barrels!" Phil shouted at them when they just stood there, staring at Goofy, who took a moment to gather his bearings. "Get the barrels!"

"R-right!" They scattered, rushing off in different directions towards the barrels. Hikaru reached one stack that was three barrels high near the bottom row of seats. Lifting her staff, she swung at the barrel at the base, knocking the whole stack over with a series of loud thuds when they hit the ground.

"You gotta break them, Red!" Phil called.

"I know that!" she snapped as she swung again. The wooden container splintered slightly under the impact, but it didn't quite break. She raised her foot instead, kicking through the soft wood and sending the broken barrel rolling across the ground. _Ow, ow!_ She winced, hopping on one leg as pain throbbed in her heel. Even if the wood wasn't _that_ hard, it still hurt like hell! She glanced over to the others as she rubbed her foot.

Donald was the closest, and he seemed completely focused on the task at hand. "Thunder! Blizzard! Fire!" he shouted, waving his staff around and blasting his stacks of barrels into bits. When Hercules tossed a pair of vases at him, he turned around and whipped up a few shards of ice to counter.

Goofy looked like he was having a bit more fun. He swung his shield around in a full circle, knocking a few barrels into the wall in his tornado-like spin before charging forward to bash through a pyramid stacked in front of him. One of the fallen barrels rolled across the floor over to Sora, who scooped it up in his arms with a bit of difficulty before chucking it as far as he could muster.

"Fire!" he cried, aiming his Keyblade and sending out a good-sized fireball that broke the barrel into smoldering pieces.

Hikaru turned to her own set of barrels, a tingling sensation rising up in her bandage-wrapped palm. She hesitated only a moment. "Fire!" she called out too, letting loose a small blast of flames that wasn't quite at large as Sora's. The crackling fire began to eat away at two barrels before her, and she gritted her teeth, shaking out the burning sensation in her hand.

"Watch it, Red!" Phil shouted.

Hikaru looked up, her eyes widening when she saw the two ceramic vases flying in her direction. She dove out of the way of the first one, catching herself with one hand braced against the dirt. But the second one came, straight at her face before she could even shove herself back up to her feet. _Oh, shit!_

Something flashed before her eyes, a series of fragmented images and sensations—a rush of magic and heat, a prickling sensation across her skin, and of all things, the Cheshire Cat's wide smile. A pink and smoky glow filled the edges of her vision just as the vase phased right through her.

"Huh?!" She felt for her unharmed face, patting her cheeks a few times as the translucent glow around her body faded away into solid form. That was… the Cheshire Cat's magic?

"_I thought you might have found some use in borrowing a skill or two,"_ she recalled the Cat's words.

_It… It still works?_ she thought, taking a look at her hands. A faint pink glow flickered at her fingertips, a sputtering translucence that quickly faded away. It took a few moments for her to get a hold of her hammering heart.

"Hey, focus!" Phil's rough voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Stop slacking and get to the barrel busting!"

Hikaru nodded. Right—she could figure the magic stuff out later. For now, she had more pressing matters.

* * *

"You know, I have to say, that wasn't half-bad—for a bunch of rookies," Phil remarked, walking over to them with a broom and dustpan once the impromptu training session had come to a close.

Sora was sitting down on the bottom row of the stands with the others, legs stretched out to massage his aching muscles. He hadn't realized that hero training also involved doing twenty pushups with Phil sitting on his back, but they'd managed to do it; one hour of busting barrels, running laps, and sweating waterfalls had been completed. And despite how exhausted he was, Sora was feeling pretty good about himself.

The others… maybe not so much. Hikaru and Donald lay sprawled out on the seats beside him, both of them too tired to say much of anything. Goofy looked pretty fine all things considered, though; he took a cup water from Hercules, who'd come back from the Coliseum's mess hall with a water jug and some towels.

"You guys did great," Hercules said as he offered the refreshments to Hikaru and Donald, who both sat up and took their waters gratefully. "Sorry about that one hit during the first round—hope I didn't hurt you too bad."

"Nah, it's nothing," Sora replied, rubbing the spot on his shoulder where Hercules had managed to beam him with a vase. He'd gotten worse back on the islands during his fights with Riku and Tidus and the others. He looked to Phil, a warm pride spreading through his chest. "See? Told you we could do it."

Phil snorted. "Hey, don't get too smug, kid."

"Why not?" Sora asked. He folded his hands behind his head and grinned. "We're heroes, aren't we?"

"Afraid not," Phil said, giving Sora a light whack in the leg with his broom. "I got two words for you: you guys ain't heroes."

"Two…?" Goofy muttered, furrowing his eyebrows as he raised a hand to count off his fingers.

"Oh, come on!" Sora said, rubbing his leg. "You said we weren't half-bad."

"Not being half-bad ain't the same as being a hero. There's a lot more to it than breaking a couple of barrels," Phil replied. "Just 'cause you can barely make it through a few drills doesn't suddenly mean you got what it takes."

Sora frowned. "But you said if we did this…"

"I said I'd let you run the course. I didn't say nothin' about you being a hero," Phil said. "There's still a lot more you have to learn, kid. Maybe you'll figure out what I'm talking about once you get more experience in the real world. But until then…" He pressed the broom and dustpan into Sora's unsuspecting hands. "Lesson number 43: a hero makes sure to clean up after himself. Get to sweeping, rook."

Sora pouted, watching in silence as the goat man trotted off back towards the arena exit. "Sweeping?" he muttered, looking down at the broom in his hand. "We have to clean?"

"Well, we did leave behind a pretty big mess," Goofy remarked, looking over to their corner of the arena. Bits of wood and ceramic littered the floor.

"I guess…" Sora held back a sigh. That definitely didn't sound like a job for a hero. _I'm supposed to be a hero, right?_ he thought. Chosen by the Keyblade and all that. Well, whatever. He didn't ask to get the Keyblade or be a hero in the first place. He was on this quest to find his friends—that was the main thing.

Still… He couldn't help the fact that Phil's words rubbed him the wrong way.

"Don't worry," Hercules said, offering one of his well-meaning smiles when Sora fell quiet. "Phil made me do my share of grunt work too, back when I was a rookie. But I think he's taking a liking to you."

"Really?" Sora asked. He wasn't quite sure if he believed it.

Footsteps scraped against the ground in front of them. "Herc's right—it's not every day the Goat lets a buncha newbies have a go at _Phil's Cardio Special_," a boyish voice came. "I mean, do you know how long I had to bug that guy to let me in on his training lessons? I think he should change the name though. Sounds like it could be a Thursday special at the inn or something."

"Lyon," Hercules said as the lion boy made his way over to them. "How's the training going?"

"Er, well…" He scratched his head. "Hard to focus with these guys around, y'know?"

Amusement flashed across Hercules's face. "This is Lyon," he said to Sora and the others. "He's a junior hero, and Phil's newest student."

"Hey, I may be new, but there's nothing junior about me. I'll be a fully-fledged capital-H Hero in no time," Lyon said with a toothy grin. He turned to Sora and the others. "I was watching you guys earlier. Are you new recruits or something?"

"Naw. We're just passin' through," Goofy said cheerfully. "Herc and Phil invited us up here to train."

"Really? Man, that's a bummer. No one else at the Coliseum gives me any challenge, y'know?" Lyon said, straightening out his shoulders. "Loved the shield work, Big Dog. All that fancy magic of yours was pretty cool too, Ducky. And I always like a girl that can fight," he added, his grin widening as he looked to Hikaru. "Hit me up if you're ever up for a little one-on-one spar, Doe-Eyes."

"Uh… Thanks?" she said, her cheeks darkening to a faint red shade as she glanced away. "I'm, uh… good, though."

Lyon chuckled before he turned to Sora. "You're pretty good too, Spiky—especially with that fancy sword. Feeling up for a sparring match? I've been itchin' for a good fight all day."

"A fight?" Sora repeated, the gears turning in his head.

"No, thanks," Donald said. "It's getting late. We should be heading back to town to find a place to stay and—"

Sora sprang to his feet despite the ache in his muscles. "I'll take you on!" he said before Donald could even finish his sentence.

"What?" Donald quacked, his eyes narrowing.

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Here we go again," she said, leaning back and taking another sip of water.

"Sora, we don't have time for this," the ruffled duck said.

"Aw, come on, Donald," Sora said. This Lyon guy was Phil's student, right? Then that meant if Sora beat him, he'd basically be a junior hero too—or, no, _better_ than a junior hero. That would show the goat man what they were made of. "It'll be quick, I promise."

"Yeah, let Spiky have some fun," Lyon said. "If it's a room for the night you need, I know just the place. I'll show you guys where—right after wipe the floor with this guy."

"I'd like to see you try!" Sora said. "And the name's _Sora_."

They took up position in the middle of the arena, away from all the equipment and the mess that Goofy had volunteered to help clean up. Donald and Hikaru watched them from the sidelines, and even Hercules stayed back to watch them too.

"Are you sure this is alright, Hercules?" Hikaru asked.

"It'll be fine," he replied. "Nothing better than a friendly spar, am I right?"

Lyon stood on one side of the middle line, a grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles and flexed out his claws. Sora readied his Keyblade before pausing.

"Where's your weapon?" he asked.

"Heh, don't worry—I don't need it to take you on, Spiky," Lyon said. "I'm ready. Bring it on!"

"Alright, you asked for it!" Sora rushed forward with a swing of the Keyblade. The weapon seemed to glide through the air, a motion that was starting to become familiar and light in his grasp as he aimed for Lyon's shoulder.

The lion boy countered with a swipe of his claws. The attack collided with the Keyblade in a resounding clang. Sora tightened his grip and swung again, narrowly missing Lyon as he ducked below the blow. Suddenly Lyon's foot went out, catching Sora in the leg and sending him sprawling onto the ground.

"Ouch!" Sora winced, rubbing his rapidly bruising shoulder. He scrambled back to his feet, wiping the dirt from the side of his face. Alright, this guy was pretty good—Sora had to give him that. But after countless days spent sparring with Riku back on the islands, Sora was sure he had this in the bag.

"Focus, Sora," Hikaru called.

"Don't worry, I got it," he said, glancing over his shoulder for just a moment and shooting her a reassuring smile.

"Think again!" Lyon exclaimed. He sprang into the air, bringing his claws down just as Sora raised his Keyblade the block. The flurry of blows slammed against the Keyblade, rattling Sora's arms as he stepped back and readjusted his footing. Lyon pulled his arm back, claws raised for another heavy swing, and Sora saw his chance. He jabbed out, moving to take the opening and strike Lyon before he could even bring his claws down.

But then Lyon vanished. Sora's eyes widened, and he stumbled forward, looking around the arena in bewilderment for any trace of the lion boy.

A noise came from behind him, and something slammed into his back. Sora gave a cry as he went flying forward and skinned his elbows against the stone floor. He quickly rolled over, cringing as he sat up. Lyon stood in front of him, arm still extended in his surprise punch. A flickering timer floated over his head like a magical stopwatch, its ghostly clock hands spinning rapidly.

"Time magic?!" Donald cried as he and Hikaru straightened to attention.

"Sora, watch out—he knows how to use Haste!" Hikaru said.

"Haste?" Sora pushed himself back up off the ground. "What does that mean?"

"It means I have the speed, Spiky!" Lyon said as he crouched low, his muscles bunched up like a cat ready to pounce. "Watch and learn!" He shot forward at an impossible speed, just a blur of color that Sora barely had any time to react to. Quickly, Sora blocked the incoming blow, but as Lyon threw his claws forward, Sora felt the Keyblade rip free from his grasp. Sora staggered back as the Keyblade flew through the air and hit the ground behind him with a loud clatter.

Lyon pulled away, his claws leaving gouges in the stone as he slid back on all fours and tightened the muscles in his legs again. "Gotcha!" he cried, charging forward again at high speed with his fist raised for a final blow.

_Uh-oh!_ Sora's eyes widened as he looked to his Keyblade. Pressure surged through his hand, and the weapon returned to his grasp in a flash of light. _Quick!_ He aimed the Keyblade, his mind racing to figure something out as Lyon closed in on him.

"Blizzard!" he shouted, redirecting the Keyblade at the ground in front of him. The feeling of cold, frigid wind rushed across his skin and sunk deep into his limbs as a burst of snowflakes sputtered from the end of his Keyblade, followed by a tiny jolt of blue magic that hit the floor and blossomed out in a thin layer of ice.

Lyon's feet slipped out from under him the moment he touch the ice. "WHOA!" He slammed hard onto his back as the momentum sent him hurtling across the ice sheet. Sora realize what it meant a moment too late. He gave a yelp as Lyon's body crashed into his legs and knocked him to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Sora!"

"Gah…" Bright lights flashed in Sora's eyes as he rolled over onto his back and looked up at the night sky. The ground felt strangely lumpy. Something hard poked him in the side.

"Mind getting off of me?" Lyon's muffled squeak of a voice came from underneath him.

"Oh! S-sorry," Sora quickly crawled off of Lyon's stomach just as the others came running over.

"You two okay?" Goofy asked. He was still holding onto the broom and dustpan as he hauled Sora back to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sora said, giving a strained smile as he scratched his head. A sharp pain in his arm made him wince, though, and he looked down at his bloody elbows.

"Are you hurt too?" Hikaru asked, offering a hand to Lyon and helping him stand.

"Thanks, Doe-Eyes," Lyon said as he rubbed his butt. His grin looked a bit more genuine than Sora's. "Just bruised my pride a little bit, but otherwise I'm A-okay."

Hikaru nodded, turning back to Sora. "Hold on, I'll get the first aid kit."

* * *

A potion, some bandages, and a Cure spell from Donald were all Sora needed to patch up his cuts and bruises. He rubbed his tender gauze-wrapped elbows as they crossed the Coliseum's front courtyard with Hercules and Lyon accompanying them.

"That was some fight, Sora," Hercules remarked, coming to a stop once they reached the open entrance gates and the top steps of the massive staircase leading down the hill. He patted Sora on the shoulder, almost knocking him over with the strength behind that friendly gesture. "You guys should come by the Coliseum again sometime. I'm sure Lyon would appreciate a sparring partner closer to his own league."

"What're you talking about, Herc?" Lyon said, crossing his arms. "Time and place, you name it—I can take you on any day!"

Sora scratched his head, giving a light laugh. "Thanks, Hercules. We'll keep that in mind."

"Maybe we'll see you and Phil again before we leave," Goofy added.

"Sure! Swing by any time."

They said their goodbyes to the brawny hero before beginning their descent down the stairs. The cool evening breeze felt nice so high up and out in the open—fresh compared to the stuffiness of the arena, and tinged with a familiar salty spray. Above them the clear and starry sky stretched out to the dark ocean horizon, mirrored by the flickering firelights of Thebes below.

As tired as Sora was, at least the walk back into town would be easier than their climb up. Still, after a long day of traveling on the gummi ship, running around worlds, fighting Heartless, and enduring some sweaty training, he wanted nothing more than a cozy bed and a nice, hot shower. Luckily, if what Lyon said was true, then a place to clean up and sleep was just a short stroll away.

"That was some quick thinking, Spiky," Lyon said, rolling back his shoulders and his neck as they walked. "Didn't expect a snow day. You really are pretty good."

"Thanks," Sora said. "You're not bad yourself." That was as much as he could say, but even Sora had to admit—Lyon was good. He didn't even need a weapon to take Sora on, and that Time magic of his had taken him by complete surprise. If it wasn't for the Keyblade…

He paused, looking out to the ocean. It seemed so quiet and still in the night; Sora could only see it in the glowing lights at the harbor and the shimmering reflection of the moon in its rippling surface. _It's a whole other world out here_, he thought. It wasn't just childhood brawls on the beach or trying to beat Riku anymore.

"Hercules was really nice," Hikaru said after a moment, letting her staff tap against the stairs.

"That Phil guy, though," Donald said with a light scowl. "Who does he think he is, saying we're not heroes? Well, maybe you kids aren't, but me and Goofy are trained professionals!"

"Hey," Sora said with a frown.

"Phil's definitely strict, but you're not gonna find a better trainer than him in Thebes," Lyon said. "He's _the_ trainer of heroes. Recognized by the gods and everything."

"Gods?" Goofy repeated. Hikaru in the meantime gave a curious tilt of her head.

"You have gods here?" she asked.

"Yeah, like Zeus and Apollo and Hades… Oh, that's right, you guys are from out of the country," Lyon said. "Well, the gods don't really hang out down here too much. Most of the time they're up in Olympus." He pointed out towards the fields beyond the city and the mountain that towered in the distance. "Around here, if you become a great enough hero, the gods will put your picture in the stars. Herc's up there, see?"

"Herc?" Sora looked up. It took a few seconds, but as he scanned the stars, he caught a particular cluster that seemed to glow a bit brighter than the others. "Whoa…" Lyon was right. "That is Hercules!"

"Wow," Donald said. "It looks just like him. We should get our pictures up there too!"

"Heheh, good luck." Lyon jammed his paws into the pockets of his oversized jacket. "It takes a lot of work to get noticed by the gods. But I'll get up there someday. Then I'll get to meet the gods myself."

"Why do you want to meet the gods?" Sora asked, a bit of curiosity sprouting up inside him as he looked between Lyon and the starry sky.

"Oh, well…" Lyon shrugged. "I just… have some things I want to ask them, you know?"

"Gettin' to meet the gods sure does sound like an experience," Goofy agreed. "I wonder what they're like."

"They have their own thing going on," Lyon said. "Not always the nicest people, but as long as you don't make them mad, you'll be fine."

"Sounds about right." Hikaru gave a light laugh. "They say the stars of Ursa Minor have gods too—we call them the Astrals. But they don't really care about people. Even the nicest ones are just… indifferent."

Her worlds had gods too, huh? Sora didn't recall her ever mentioning that in her stories. "Have you ever met a god before, Hikaru?" he asked, folding his hands behind his head.

"Can't say that I have," she replied. "And I don't know if I'd ever want to."

It didn't take long before they reached the bottom of the hill and the flow of the city. Despite the darkened sky and the increasingly late hour, Thebes remained a bustling hub of activity. People still wandered up and down the streets, though it was by the light of the illuminative fires now instead of the sun. Some of the roadside stalls were closing down, but the people peddling food continued to serve dinner for the hungry pedestrians, and the street performers continued to demonstrate their juggling and oration skills for the crowds who gathered to watch.

Lyon led the way, cutting across the street and shouldering his way past the crowd towards a particular two-floor brick building wedged between a pair of large pillared structures. A group of men stumbled out through the front door and onto the road as they laughed and sang.

"Daphne's Hearthside Inn," Goofy read with a squint, scratching his chin as he stared at the faded wooden sign hanging slightly off-center above the door.

"Come on," Lyon said, waving at them to follow. "Before she sells out of the good food."

Passing through the open doors, they were met with a wall sweat-inducing warm air. Booming voices bounced off the walls in the narrow room, accompanied by clinking metal utensils and the sizzling of food on flattop grills. Long dining tables filled up most of the floor space, covered from end to end with huge platters of colorful vegetable casseroles and steaming hot meats, while countless men and woman occupied creaky wooden chairs to dig into the massive meal.

"Wow," Donald said, sniffing at the smell of spices wafting through the air.

"It's like a feast!" Sora said, looking at the piles of food stacked up on the table. He'd never seen a restaurant so busy before, let alone so much food in one place!

"Nah, it's just Friday night," Lyon said as the boisterous customers sitting at the nearest table smacked their wine goblets together and cheered. "You gotta try the moussaka—it's Daphne's specialty, and…"

"Lyon!"

"Speaking of Daphne, there she is now," he said, turning towards the drink bar with a pleasant smile.

A woman marched over to them—though not any sort of woman Sora had ever seen. Her skin was a vivid shade of green, the same color of spring grass, and her vine-like hair had tiny flowers woven into her braids strands. She wore an apron over her tunic, and she smacked her open palm with the flat side of her spatula.

"A nymph?" Hikaru said, her eyes lighting up.

"You're late, Lyon," Daphne said with a glare. "Where were you? We're halfway through the dinner rush!"

"Sorry, sorry," Lyon said, scratching his ear. "I was just at the Coliseum. I'm here now, though."

The nymph woman didn't seem amused. "We'll talk about this later," she said, waving her spatula at him. "Go make yourself useful and clear the tables. Dishes are piling up back there."

"Roger that, Daph. Let me just go get ready first." Lyon gave a two-finger salute and stepped forward, though he paused a moment as another thought occurred to him. "Oh, yeah, before that, my friends here need a room," he said, turning around and slinging his arms around Sora and Donald's shoulders.

_Friends?_ Sora thought with a blink. And he wasn't the only one who seemed surprised.

"Your friends?" Daphne repeated, looking to Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Hikaru in turn. "Oh, well, then." Her hard expression seemed to fade away, replaced instead by a warm smile. "Welcome to Daphne's Hearthside Inn. I'm Daphne, Lyon's guardian and the owner of this fine establishment. Lyon can show you to your room."

"Right this way," Lyon said, nodding over towards a set of wooden stairs in the corner of the hall.

* * *

"Okay, here's your guys' room. It's a little small, but I think you can all squeeze in." Lyon pushed open the door to reveal the compact space within. There was a single open window and only two narrow beds. Otherwise, it seemed pretty bare of any other furnishings.

"Y'know, maybe we should get another room," Goofy remarked.

"Yeah. I don't want to share a bed with any of you," Donald said, crossing his arms with a huff.

"You're not the only one, you know," Hikaru replied with a grimace.

Lyon laughed. "Say no more. There should be another open one somewhere…" He headed further down the hallway, the wooden floorboards creaking under his footsteps.

_It's not the fanciest place_, Hikaru thought. But she had to admit, as the muffled sound of laughter rose up from the dining hall below, it held was a certain cozy charm. She liked it.

"Okay, here we go," Lyon said, opening up another empty two-bed room further down the hall. "Second room. It's a little bigger than the first, but I'll get you guys a discount. If you need me, I'll probably be working, but my room's right across the hall. Bathhouse is next door—big building, you can't miss it. And if you feel like getting a breath of fresh air, there's a little garden out around back. Just be careful not to trip on anything—I might've left some of my training gear out there."

"Thanks, Lyon," Sora said. "We owe you."

"Yeah, you do." Lyon gave one of his trademark grins. "Another spar later, then? Or a date," he added, looking to Hikaru with a waggle of his eyebrow. "Whichever one works."

She pursed her lips, doing her best to hold back the embarrassment spreading through her cheeks. "Spar it is," she said.

"Dang it," Lyon said with feigned disappointment as he snapped his claws. The smile never left his face, though. "Oh, well. Can't blame a guy for trying." He laughed, heading back down the stairs with his tail sweeping across the floor behind him.

"Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm gonna go find the bath," Sora said once Lyon was gone. "Anyone else?"

"A bath sounds nice," Goofy remarked. "I'll go along with you."

"I'm gonna eat first," Donald replied, patting his stomach. "Gotta grab that food before they run out!"

"Yeah, I'll wash up afterwards. You guys go on ahead," Hikaru added. "We'll meet up later."

They split up in different directions, Sora and Goofy grabbing their towels and heading out of the room while Donald went downstairs to grab some food and Hikaru took a moment to just stretch her legs. She walked over to the window, peering outside to the garden that Lyon had mentioned below. It wasn't much—just a plot of grass with a couple skinny trees and a small row of flowery hedges. She did see a set of weights, however, and a sloppily painted target board and even a few toy-like wooden swords.

_Must be his own personal training grounds_. Talk about dedication. Lyon really wanted to be a hero, didn't he? Well, he knew a thing or two about fighting. And magic too.

She leaned against the windowsill, taking in the quiet garden as she massaged her bandage-wrapped hand. It wasn't sore, at least. _I guess I should be thankful I didn't hurt myself this time_, she thought, though the feeling was a hollow one. After all, it wasn't like Lyon hurt himself with his Haste spell. Neither did Sora with his own magic—Sora, who had less experience than she did when it came to casting spells, and yet was still doing so much better than her.

_Lucky him_, she thought.

"Hikaru," Donald's voice came, making her jolt. She turned around to see the duck standing in the doorway with a plate of food in one hand and a half-eaten drumstick in the other. "Are you going to eat?"

"Oh, uh, later," she said. "I'm just…" She hesitated, her fingers still wrapped around her bad hand. "… Donald, do you think… you can help me with my magic?"

"Right now?" he asked. "Aren't you tired?"

"A little," Hikaru admitted. "But I guess all that training got me in the mood to practice." Seeing Donald and Sora using their magic so easily had struck a nerve with her, especially when she had hesitated so much when they'd run into the Heartless in the town square. She still remembered Donald's offer back on the gummi ship to teach her a few tips.

_Anything to become more… like them_.

The incredulous surprise in his expression seemed the opposite of promising. "Hmm…" Donald tapped his webbed foot against the floor as he thought. Hikaru braced herself for a refusal.

"Alright," was what he ended up saying, though. "Let's head outside."

Hikaru blinked. "Really?"

"Why not?" the duck said, taking another bite out of his drumstick. "The better you are at magic, the better off we'll all be."

They headed back down to the dining hall, avoiding the crowds at the tables and instead taking the door out to the back where the empty garden awaited them. Hikaru stepped out into the yard, her boots crunching through the grass as Donald set his plate down on a bench and licked his fingers clean.

"Okay," Donald said, picking a spot in the center of the garden, far away from any flammable trees and bushes. "Cast a Fire spell. Don't shoot it off anywhere—just hold it in your hand. We'll see how good your control is."

Hikaru did as he said after only a short pause. She held out her left hand, palm facing upwards as the tingling magical energy prickled at her skin and her heart pounded in her chest. A moment later, she ignited the tiny flame.

And then she winced. "Ah…!" She snuffed out the fire, shaking her hand out as searing pain throbbed in her palm. "I… I did okay earlier," she said, her cheeks burning almost as much as her hand. "During Phil's training. I don't know why this happened now."

Donald seemed to understand immediately, though. "I'll tell you why—you're too nervous," he said, crossing his arms. "You're getting so worked up about casting spells that you're using way too much magic for a little fire! That's why it's backfiring. Magic reacts to your emotions—if you're too worked up about something, it can do bizarre things. You just gotta relax."

"Easier said than done," Hikaru muttered. She pulled at her bandages to inspect her palm.

"Let me see." He reached out, grabbing Hikaru's hand and helping her unwrap her bandages. No new blisters, at least, but the open wounds from earlier looked red and inflamed. Donald summoned his staff and held it over her hand. "Cure!"

Green and yellow light bloomed from the end of his staff, lighting up the dark garden and raining down a few glowing leaves. Soothing warmth surged through her fingers and up her arm, chasing away the stinging pain. When the light faded away, her wounds had knitted shut, and all that remained was a faint pinkness.

"There," he said, releasing her hand. "That should help."

She rubbed her palm. "Thanks…"

"Don't mention it. Just try not to make it a habit—I'm a court wizard, not a white mage." Donald let his staff disappear in a flash. "But what's the problem, here? Fire is one of the easiest spells there is. I thought you said you knew how to use magic."

"I know how to use magic," Hikaru said. "Or, well… I know enough. In theory," she amended when Donald raised an eyebrow at her. It made her cheeks heat up. "I didn't have much choice, okay? They made me practice when I was younger, even when I kept hurting myself." How many times had she given herself blisters and burns? It had become a routine thing by that point—cast magic, hurt herself, get a Cure to heal her wounds, and repeat for hours on end until she didn't have the energy to cast anymore. "I'm used to it by now, though…"

"Huh…" Donald frowned, resting his hands on his hips. "No wonder you're having trouble," he said. "Talk about a bad teacher. Who taught you?"

At that question, the irritation bubbling up in Hikaru's face vanished. She hesitated, her grasp tightening on her hand. "My… My mother," she said.

"Your mom?" Donald repeated. "Well, she made a big mistake when she was trying to teach you, then. Forcing things never gets anywhere—in fact, it just makes things worse."

"It's not her fault I'm bad," Hikaru snapped, making Donald blink. The endless practice, the constant cycle of pain and healing—it was her own fault. Her fault she couldn't get it fast enough, her fault that all she did was frustrate both herself and her mother to no end and waste both of their time.

_That's why I gave up…_

She stood there for a long while, face screwed up in a venomous glare, until the sudden flare up of anger boiling up inside her began to ebb. Donald stared at her in unflinching silence—a stare that made her stomach flip and her cheeks burn, except only this time it was with a sense of shame.

He waited until Hikaru calmed down before he released a sigh and shook his head. "Looks like we got a lot to work through," he muttered. He started to waddle away, making Hikaru blink, a momentary panic striking through her when she thought he was just going to leave her alone in the garden. But instead of going to the door, he walked over to the bench, climbing up onto the seat and pushing his plate of food out of the way. "Come on." He patted the empty space next to him.

Hikaru stood there a few moments before her legs began to work again. She took a seat next to him, holding her arms close to her body as she shrunk down in sheepish embarrassment.

"Okay, we'll start with the basics, then," Donald said as he crossed his arms and leaned back.

And he began to explain everything.

* * *

High above the quiet garden, a pair of tiny songbirds perched along the rooftop's edge. They ruffled their feathers, tilting their heads to the side as they watched the red-haired girl and the talking duck converse.

"These are the ones, right?" one of the birds whispered, its head bulging out and twisting around until its adorable chirping face transformed into a red horned imp. "The ones Hades told us about?"

"Looks like it," the other bird replied, its head changing too into a blue imp's anxious sneer. "But that kid with the big goofy shoes isn't with them. If we don't have him too, Hades will—"

"Relax, relax!" Pain said, giving Panic a light shove in the head with his dinky little bird foot. "They're all friends, right? So if we can get one of them, we'll basically get all of them. All we have to do is wait… and listen," he added, lifting a wing to his ear and directing his attention downwards, just as a light bout of laughter from the girl and the duck rose up above the garden.

Then they could figure out who would make the best puppet.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap on this chapter.

Alright, and here's where things get interesting. Readers of the old RS may remember who this lion boy is; it was a concept I'd wanted to play with even years back—that is, including Sora's original lion boy design as a character in the story. Considering how story-light Olympus Coliseum is in the games, Thebes still definitely seemed like the best place to have Lyon hanging around.

So, what did you think? This chapter I think was a sort of slower paced one, focused more on Sora and the gang than the overarching world conflict. There's a lot of build up going on what with a new character getting introduced, but also some delving into Sora and Hikaru, who both have very different thoughts on their own roles and heroism. I actually had a few more things I'd wanted to include in this chapter, but decided it would be better to leave it for the next instead considering all that's going on here.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let me know by sending in a review!

Super big thanks to Lunar Abyss, Painted With a Palette, Sugoi, Is Og Ild, Xxser3ndipityxX, and BlissfulNightRain for the reviews, and also thanks to my beta Barrel Maker. Your wonderful support and feedback is wholly appreciated.

Until next time!


	14. An Unexpected Offer

7/15/19: Hello, hello, hello everyone, it's Tempura here—one day late, but I have the next chapter! I apologize for the slight delay; things got busier than I expected and I got worn out pretty fast. Luckily, an extra day was all I needed to get things done. Today we continue on with Olympus, and we'll see that things will be taking a very sharp turn plot-wise. So, without further ado...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Re-sketch**

Chapter 14: An Unexpected Offer

"Man, that was a great bath," Sora said, turning to Goofy with a big smile as they approached the inn. "They had more soap than I've seen in my life—not that I _haven't_ seen soap before," he added hastily. "But the people here—they go all-out. Like, rubbing olive oil on your skin? Who thought of that?" It had been a pretty weird experience at first, but his skin had never felt so soft.

Goofy chuckled. "It's always important to moisturize, ahyuck," he said with a wise nod. He still had his towel wrapped around his head and his bath brush propped against his shoulder. "Nothin' beats washing off after a hard day's work. I just hope Daphne is still servin' dinner—that _moose-aka_ Lyon mentioned sounded pretty good, don'tcha think?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Sora said. He still wasn't exactly sure what a moussaka was.

As they slipped through the inn's doors, Sora saw that the dining hall was still a beacon of light and noise. Only half the seats were occupied, but the people who stayed behind more than made up for the ones who'd already left. Sora took a quick glance around the room as a few of the red-faced patrons roared with laughter and slapped the tables in their excitement.

"Where's Hikaru and Donald?" he asked.

"Ah, you kids back already?" Daphne called out, making them turn. The vine-haired nymph was leaning against the bar counter, wiping down an empty wine jug. "Your friends are out back in the garden. Not sure what they're doing out there, but it sounds like they're having fun."

"Fun?" Sora repeated. Donald having fun? With Hikaru? "I gotta see this." He navigated his way past the tables towards the backdoor as the mouth-watering smells of the food fell away, all but forgotten.

"Okay, now blast it!" Donald's voice came from the other side. A muffled, splintery thump filtered through the doorway, followed by a cheer.

Sora stepped outside. He spotted Donald and Hikaru in the far corner of the garden, standing about twenty feet away from a smoldering target board that hung from the wall.

"Whew…" Hikaru released a deep breath as she straightened up. "Okay, using this," she said, giving her staff a little twirl, "was a good idea."

"Told you," Donald said smugly, balancing his plate of food in one hand.

"Hey, what's going on?" Sora hurried over. Goofy followed right behind him, and they came to a stop at the edge of the stone walkway next to a cluster of weather-worn exercise equipment that ranged from iron weights to wooden swords. "You guys training?"

"Oh, hey." Hikaru rubbing her hands. "Yeah, just a little. I asked Donald to help with my magic."

"Figured if she learns to channel magic through that big stick, it'll help with her control," Donald told them.

"Control?" Sora said. "How's that supposed to work?"

Goofy thought about it for a moment, scratching the side of his head. "Oh, that's right," he said. "Using a weapon is supposed to help with focusin' your magic, right?"

"Exactly!" Donald said. "It's like using the Keyblade, Sora—it helps you control where your magic goes before you cast a spell. And even though Hikaru's stick isn't a _real_ staff, it's good enough for now. She didn't believe me when I told her at first."

"You were right, Professor Duck. I'm sorry I ever doubted your unending wisdom," Hikaru said dryly, giving a flourish of her free hand as she lowered herself in a half-bow.

Donald nodded proudly. "Yeah, that's…" He blinked. "Wait, are you making fun of me?!"

"No, of course not," Hikaru replied, though the look on her face said otherwise.

"Bah! Ungrateful brat…!" Donald crossed his arms with a huff while Goofy and Hikaru held back their laughter. But despite his grumbling, there was a hint of something light-hearted in Donald's eyes.

Sora couldn't help but smile. After how distracted and down on herself Hikaru had seemed since their departure from Wonderland, it was nice seeing a little more life in her eyes—and to see her taking up a little extra practice. Maybe the things Phil told them had gotten to her too. "Hey, I wanna do some magic training too," he said. "Can you teach me something, Donald?"

"Hmm…" Donald made a big show of thinking, rubbing his bill with an overdramatic stroke of his hand. "Ask me again tomorrow."

"Aw, what?" The smile slipped off of Sora's face. "But I want to practice now!" If Hikaru was doing it, he should too, right?

"Sora, don't get too ahead of yourself," Donald said, waving a finger at him. "You can save the extra lessons for next time. First, it's time for more food."

* * *

"So, what made you change your mind?" Sora asked through a mouthful of moussaka once he'd settled down on the bench between Donald and Goofy. "I thought you didn't want to do any training."

Hikaru took a deep breath as she swung her staff, letting the streak of fire trail through the air like an orange ribbon until the spell sputtered out. "I didn't," she said. "But I figured… this'll help in the long run. And I couldn't let you guys have all the fun."

"Guess we're on the same page, then," Sora said. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to put in some extra practice to take on Lyon. All of his beachside spars couldn't hold up against that Haste spell. He wasn't even sure if Riku would've been able to beat the lion boy despite all their sword-fighting.

_Sword-fighting…_ Sora looked at the wooden swords scattered in the bushes, toy weapons not unlike the ones that he used back on the islands. If only Riku was there—then he'd have a real sparring partner to practice with…

He paused. "Hey, Hikaru," he said, an idea sparking in his brain. "You know how to use a sword, right?"

"Huh? Um… a little," Hikaru said, lowering her staff. "Why?"

"Great!" Sora sprang to his feet. "Do you think you can you help me spar? I want to do some more training!" He remembered that duel between her and Riku back on the islands. Even though it had been a short and lopsided match, he was positive having someone who knew their way around a sword would help him get better.

"What?" Hikaru's eyes widened. She nearly dropped her staff. "Oh, no, I…"

"Sora, didn't you just take a bath?" Donald said, blowing the steam off of his bowl of egg-lemon soup. "You're gonna get all sweaty again!"

"I'll just take another one," Sora replied, glancing over his shoulder to the duck. Another relaxing soak wasn't the worst thing in the world, after all. "Come on, Hikaru," he said, turning back to her. "What do you say?"

"I… I don't think that's a good idea." She took a step back, shaking her hands. "I haven't done it since I was, like, ten, and I wasn't that good at it, and my brother always kicked my ass… I won't be any help."

"Aw, please?" Sora pressed his hands together. "It's okay if you're rusty—I just need someone to practice with, you know? It'll really help me out. I'll owe you."

"Er…" Hikaru grimaced as he stared at her with hope-filled puppy-dog eyes. She glanced to the side, scratching the back of her head. "… Okay, fine," she finally said with a loud sigh. "Just for a little while, alright?"

"Alright! Thanks, Hikaru!"

"Yeah, yeah… Just remember, Sora—you owe me. _Really_ owe me."

* * *

Somehow, Hikaru lost track of the time. Maybe it the low lighting of the torches, or the stillness of the stars above their heads. Or maybe it was the rhythmic _clack, clack, clack!_ of clashing swords that made the minutes blur together. Whatever it was, Hikaru paid no attention to the passing hour. All she focused on was the battle.

"Gotcha!" she said, jabbing forward. But her movements were too slow, and before she could land the pointed strike on Sora's shoulder, he lifted his own sword to block.

"Nice try!" He pushed forward now, swinging with wide and powerful arcs that had Hikaru backpedaling on the defensive. She deflected the blows as fast as she could, but Sora had the advantage in raw strength behind his two-handed grip. With one final swing, he knocked the wooden blade clean out of her hand.

"Point!" Sora said, lowering his sword.

"Good job, Sora!" Goofy called out. "And nice defense too, Hikaru! Keep it up!"

Hikaru shook out her aching arm. "Okay, Sora. You're pretty good," she said, panting as she picked up her sword. Not as good as Aki, maybe, and thankfully not as hard-hitting as Riku—but Hikaru still had to be very careful. She needed to play this smart. "You're being a bit too obvious, though."

"Obvious?" Sora repeated. "But look who's winning."

"Sora," Donald warned, crossing his arms. "Don't get too overconfident."

"Heh, don't worry! I got this." Sora grinned, readying his sword.

"Hope you can live up to those words, Sora," Hikaru said, a smile of her own playing across her face. She flexed out her fingers as she dropped back into stance, one foot forward and the other foot back. "En garde."

Sora answered her challenge immediately. He rushed at her, feet pounding against the grass as he raised his sword high above his head.

A bit too high. Hikaru's eyes narrowed when she spotted her opening, and this time she had the time to counter. She parried the swing in a swift movement, a technique that had been drilled into her wrist from the first moment her parents had given her a sword. Their weapons clashed together, a motion still so familiar to her limbs. For a moment, it was like the world around her faded away. She wasn't in the garden, but that quiet and cozy house in Hart's Haven.

Before Sora could overpower her, she angled her sword downwards, redirecting his blow to the ground and throwing him off balance.

"W-whoa!"

"Point!" she cried, swinging her foot forward and knocking Sora's legs out from under him.

"Gah!" He caught himself before he hit the ground, hands planted against the grass.

Donald chuckled. "Nice one, Hikaru!" he called.

"Cheap… Cheap shot!" Sora managed to choke out as he shoved himself up into sitting position.

Hikaru gave a tired, breathless laugh. "No such thing… as cheap shots," she said. Her brother would have seen that coming from a mile away, but Sora was no Akihiko. She offered him a shaky hand. "So, what was that? 3 to 5?"

"3 to _6_," he corrected, grasping her hand and hauling himself back up to his feet.

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "Have to get every last one of those points to make up for all those times Riku beat you, right?"

He grinned. "I just like to set the record straight, you know?"

That made her snort. "Yeah, sure." She straightened up, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, if you want to actually _improve_ that record, try not to raise your sword so much when you swing next time. It's way too obvious, and you leave yourself wide-open. If I, of all people, can take you out, then something's wrong."

Sora gave a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Right," he said. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Gawrsh, Hikaru, you sure know a thing or two about sword-fightin'," Goofy remarked.

"Huh? Oh, no, not really," she said, shaking her head. "I just know the basics. You know, technical stuff." It was just, if she or Akihiko had ever tried to attack like that, Mam would've ripped them to shreds. Hikaru knew that from experience.

"Then why don't you use a sword instead of a big stick?" Donald asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

"Hey, I like that stick," Hikaru said, puffing up her cheeks. "I just… don't like sword-fighting that much." But she'd never had much choice in the matter, and endless hours of training under her mother's critical eye had left a sour taste in her mouth.

"_What the hell was that?"_ Hikaru still recalled her mam's scathing voice, and the vicelike grip squeezing her wrist. _"Have you been listening to a single damn thing I've said? Do it again—and do it _right_ this time."_

"I had to do it a lot when I was younger and I got sick of it, I guess," Hikaru said after a moment, kicking at the dirt. Sword-fighting, magic, piano—whether Hikaru had started off enjoying it or not, she'd soon learned to detest the repetitive motions and the criticism and that scrutinizing green-eyed stare. "My brother's the one who actually likes this stuff—he's much better than me, and he competes in tournaments all the time. He needed someone to help him practice, and that's where I came in. I guess he wanted to be like our…" She faltered, a sudden tightness squeezing at her throat. "… Like our dad."

"Your dad?" Donald asked.

"Yeah." Hikaru dropped her hands to her side. "He was a professional fencer. Used to do tournaments too when he was younger. Before we were born. My mam was the one who trained us, mainly, but my dad taught us too."

"You never mentioned your dad before," Sora said. "Where is he? Is he with the rest of your family?"

"No," Hikaru said, and she hesitated, her throat tightening even more, until her words came out as an awkward rasp. "He… died. This past summer."

Sora's eyes widened, and Donald and Goofy exchanged surprised glances as silence lapsed over the garden. "Oh…" Sora said after a few uncertain seconds. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay," Hikaru muttered. There was nothing anyone could do about it. "I'm just… going to get some food now."

* * *

_The season was summer. Hikaru was fifteen-years-old, and she was sick of staying in that cramped and stuffy flat._

"_I'm going out to meet Iris," she said, coming to a stop in the hallway just before the open bedroom door, but refusing to take that final step further to see what was inside._

_There was a scuffle of movement, of a chair quietly scraping against the floor. Akihiko peered into the hallway. "Out?" he repeated, hardly louder than a whisper. There were bags under his hazel eyes, and his dark hair was a mess, and Hikaru was pretty sure he still had on the same clothes that he'd worn yesterday. "You want to go out _now_? But Mam wants…" He hesitated, glancing down the hall to the living room where Mam had passed out on the couch reeking of liquor. "She wants us all here."_

"_But it's not fair," Hikaru whined. "Yui's not here—she's _never_ here. So why do I have to be here?"_

"_Oi!" Akihiko's voice turned sharp. The look in his eyes was nothing she'd ever seen before—vitriolic and angry. "We all have a job to do, Hikaru—and unlike you, Yui's actually working."_

"_But what am I supposed to do?" Hikaru said. "I don't want to just sit around all day waiting for Dad to… to…" She broke off, taking a deep breath and shaking her head. She could hear it from the bedroom—the sound of that raspy, wheezy breathing that was driving her mad._

"_Hikaru," Akihiko started._

"_I'm going out," she snapped with all the heated defiance her aching soul could muster. "Be back later."_

"_Hikaru. Hikaru!" Akihiko called after her, but Hikaru didn't turn around._

* * *

"What's the matter Doe-Eyes?"

The question came from behind her in that empty dining hall, a voice that broke the monotonous quiet of clinking glasses and scraping chair legs. Hikaru looked up from her plate, glancing over her shoulder.

Lyon stood there with his arms full of dirty plates. He had been busy clearing tables now that the last of the drunken customers had finally stumbled out into the streets. Only Hikaru remained in the hall, sitting alone at the end of the table with a plate of half-eaten food. Sora had gone to the baths again, accompanied by Donald this time, while Goofy had gone upstairs after emerging from the gardens with a sympathetic look on his face.

"_Y'know, Hikaru,"_ the canine man had said, ears drooping low to his shoulders when he'd seen her sitting by herself at the table, _"if you ever need to talk about anything, me and Donald are here."_

"_Thanks, Goofy,"_ she'd replied, lips pulled into a tight smile. _"I'll keep that in mind."_ Then she'd turned back to her food, and he'd let her sit in peace.

"Nothing's the matter," she said now, looking at Lyon. Her voice fell a little flat, but at least she didn't feel like crying. "Why do you ask?"

"No one can eat Daphne's moussaka and keep a sad face," Lyon said knowingly. "Not unless something's already bothering them. So, what's up?" He set the dishes down on the table, taking a seat next to Hikaru.

"Nothing. Everything's fine," she said.

"Really?" Lyon raised a strong eyebrow. "If you say so," he said, though he didn't sound like he believed her in the slightest. "I heard you guys training back there. Borrowing my stuff, eh?"

"I hope that was alright," she said. "Sorry we didn't ask…"

He waved a paw. "Naw, it's fine. If I didn't want anyone touchin' it, I would've put it away. It's not all _my_ stuff, anyway. Lot of it's from when the other kids still lived here."

"Other kids?"

He grinned at her. "'The lion needs all the help he can get,' they used to say. So after they were all adopted or grown up, they left their stuff for me. Not that I'm complaining—beats having to buy my own weights. Clothes, though…" He tugged at his patchwork jacket that was two sizes too big. "New clothes might be nice."

Hikaru didn't know what to say at first. She stared at Lyon as her shoulders shrunk down. Suddenly, she was feeling very bad about sulking so much in front of him.

"I had a lot of hand-me-downs too," she finally said, taking a sip from her cup of water. Part of her wished she'd gotten the wine instead. "When I was a kid, I had this coat that used to be my sisters—it was one of my favorites. Dad got it for her birthday one year. I was always borrowing it even when it was too big for me." She paused. "I lost it though, when we ran away…" It was something she didn't remember very well, the tail end of her and Yui's journey across Lake Bresha. She still felt bad about losing it, though—especially during times like these.

"Ran away?" Lyon repeated, and only then did Hikaru realize what she'd said.

"No, I didn't mean…" she started. But he didn't seem to hear her.

"Never would've guessed you'd had it in you, Doe-Eyes!" He laughed, a wide open-mouthed laugh that revealed his fangs. "You know, I almost did too, when I was a cub. Daphne would've kicked my tail, though!"

"Lyon, you'd better be working!" Daphne's stern call came from the backroom.

He leaped to his feet immediately. "Yes ma'am!"

Hikaru's cheeks were still flushed with a momentary panic, but as she watched Lyon turn his focus back to cleaning, it soothed some of her worries. He gathered up the dirty dishes and hurried towards the kitchen.

As he passed the entrance, though, the front door creaked open. Lyon stopped mid-step. "Sorry, we're about to close. We already shut down the kitchen, but if you want a drink…" He blinked. "Oh… Hi. What're you doing here?"

A tiny face peered through the gap in the doorway, only half Lyon's height. The little boy had a head of golden hair and a timid look in his big eyes. "Hi, Mister," he said with nasally voice as he rubbed his nose. "Sorry for coming in so late, but can I wait inside here? I'm supposed to meet someone."

"Uh… Sure," Lyon said, taking a hesitant step back to let the kid in. "We close in ten minutes though. Where's your parents?"

"They're gone," the boy said sadly, making both Lyon and Hikaru blink. "But they'll be back soon." He trudged over to the chair closest to the door and plopped down.

Hikaru frowned, her attention flickering between the little boy and Lyon. "What?" she mouthed silently, earning herself a confused shrug in response from the lion boy.

"Hold on," Lyon mouthed back, adjusting his grip on the dishes before hurrying to the kitchen.

And leaving Hikaru alone in the dining hall with the kid.

For a few seconds, Hikaru sat there in silence, letting her food grow colder and colder. Her frown deepened as she watched the kid twiddle his thumbs and kick out his legs—so short that his feet didn't even touch the ground in his chair. _What's going on?_ she wondered. A kid wandering around by himself this late wasn't safe—especially if there were Heartless running about the city. She stood up, abandoning her food and quietly making her way over to him. "Hey," she said gently. "Are you…?"

Before she could finish her question, the front door creaked open again, and a strange prickling feeling traveled down the back of her neck. _Heartless?_ she thought, looking up. But no—this sensation was different.

The person who walked through the door wasn't a person at all. At least, not a person like she'd ever seen, with pale blue skin and a head of fiery blue hair. The man all but glided into the room, smoky wisps trailing from his dark robes as he slicked back his hair with a spidery hand.

_What in the gods' names…?_

"Okay, kid," Daphne's voice came from the kitchen. She stepped out into the dining hall, bundling up her dirty apron while Lyon followed close behind her. "What seems to be the problem…?" Her words fell short, her apron nearly dropping from her hands when she spotted the fiery-haired man looming in the doorway of the inn. "Hades," she said. Behind her, Lyon's jaw dropped.

"Hey, hello, how you doin'?" the man said. "Don't mind me folks, just taking care of some business. I'll be out of your hair in no time."

"Business?" Lyon said. "What kind of business brings the _God_ of the _Dead_ into Thebes?"

"Into _my_ inn, specifically?" Daphne added, her mouth screwed up into a tight line.

_A… A god?_ Hikaru thought. This man was a…?

"Hey, no need to get your branches in a bunch," Hades said. "A pretty nymph like you doesn't want to start losing her leaves prematurely, right? No, I'm just here for work—business meeting, that sort of thing. Can't tell you how long it took to find this little hole-in-the-wall."

"Mr. Hades!" the boy piped up, jumping out of his chair and running over to the blue-skinned man.

"Ah, and there's the little squirt!" Hades crouched down, holding out a fist. "Just the kid I was looking for. Give 'em here." The boy responded by bumping it with a fist of his own.

"You…?" Daphne's eyes narrowed. "You are _not_ taking that child's soul in my shop!"

Hades rolled his eyes as he straightened up. "Who said anything about _taking_ souls?" he said. "Call yourself 'God of the Dead', and everyone thinks you're out to reap their poor mortal lives. Yeesh! Talk about preconceived notions, am I right?" He glanced over to Hikaru, crossing his arms.

"Uh…" Hikaru could only stare.

"Exactly! Gingersnap gets it," Hades said. "So relax, _Laurus nobilis_. I'm not here to take any souls. Quite the opposite, in fact. This little tyke here," he patted his hands rather roughly against the young boy's shoulders, "has hit the proverbial jackpot. See, kid lost his mother last month—harpy attack, and lemme tell you, it wasn't pretty. He was _so heartbroken_ about the thing, I decided to throw him a bone."

"Mr. Hades is going to bring my mom back!" the boy said, hands pulled close to his chest as he stomped his feet excitedly.

Hikaru blinked. "You… You're what?" she said, feeling the blood drain from her face.

"I know, I know, this Hades person is such a generous guy, but hold your applause until after the show." The fiery-haired god shook out his hands with a wide flourish. "One resuscitated mother, coming right up!"

There was a burst of smoke, thick with the nauseating smell of sulfur. Hikaru staggered back, shielding her mouth and nose with her hands, and through the haze she heard Daphne and Lyon coughing. Slowly the smoke cleared, filtering out through the open doors and into the street.

And then Hikaru realized there was another person standing in the dining hall.

"W-whoa…" Lyon said, stepping back. "Did… did he just…?"

"Oh, my darling boy!" bawled the plump woman with curly red hair. Hikaru didn't know where she'd come from, but she watched the woman scoop the little boy up in her arms and nearly squeeze the life out of him with her bone-crushing hug.

"Mom!" the boy cried, hugging her back. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Don't you just _love_ happy endings? Eh, Gingersnap?" Hades prodded Hikaru in the side with his elbow. "Hold on, I think I got something in my eye."

Hikaru didn't respond. She didn't even hear his words, and hardly felt the nudge that came at her side. She just stood there, frozen.

"Oh, Lord Hades," the boy's mother said, setting her son back on the ground. "Thank you so much! How can we ever repay your kindness?"

"No worries, this one's on the house," Hades replied. "Just have a fun time, see the sights—I hear Athens is nice this time of year—and maybe try not to die again so soon. I'm pulling a lot of here strings for this little reunion."

"Gee, Mr. Hades!" the starry-eyed boy said, looking up at the god. "You're the best!"

"Tell me something I don't already know. Now go on, kid and mom. Go, get out of here, and, I dunno, be alive or something."

At that, the mother and the son bobbed their heads, hurrying out of the inn with one final wave goodbye. Hades remained standing in the doorway watching after them with his arms crossed. "Well, I guess that's that," he said. "Thanks for letting us borrow your pub—afraid I can't stay much longer. Hey, maybe next time I'm in town, I'll grab a drink on my way out."

"Please don't," Daphne said. "Casual necromancy isn't good for business."

"Come on, you can't deny that was sickeningly sweet. I think I got a new cavity just watching them," Hades said. Daphne, though, just continued to stare at him with an unflinching grimace. "Hmp, tough crowd. Well, whatever. My job here is done. Hades, out."

None of them said another word as the flaming-haired god waltzed off out the door. It took a moment, but Lyon released a heavy breath, scratching his head.

"That… was an experience," he said. "Didn't expect the God of the Underworld to pay us a visit. Cool magic show, though."

"Sometimes I wonder what goes through their divine heads," Daphne said with a sigh, shaking her head. "God or not, it doesn't matter who comes through those doors—only that we have to clean up their messes. Get to mopping, Lyon." She gestured to the layer of soot left behind on the floor and tables.

Lyon sighed. "Dang it…"

While Daphne retreated back into the backroom again, and Lyon trudged off to the closet for more cleaning supplies, Hikaru stared out the open doors to the quiet street. Pain spread through her clenched hands, but this time the sting of her nails digging into her palms didn't help. Her heart thumped so hard in her chest, it felt like she was about to pass out.

_He… brought her back?_

Her body moved without thinking, and the next thing Hikaru knew, she was running—out into the open air, away from that lingering stench of sulfur. She stopped in the middle of the road, looking one way, then the other, until she spotted that glow of blue making its way down the darkened street.

"Wait!" she shouted, her voice suddenly so shrill to her own ears. She sprinted off after the god, just as the doors to the building next door opened up and two familiar figures appeared, silhouetted in the light.

"Okay, but I'm just saying," Sora said to Donald as they exited the bathhouse. "If we have a ship we should give it a name, and… Huh? Hikaru?"

Hikaru spared them only a fleeting glance. She shook her head, pressing forward even when they called her name. "Wait!" she shouted again. "Stop! Mr. Hades!"

"Hm?" The gloomy god turned around. "Oh, it's you, Gingersnap. What can I do for you this fine evening?"

She came to a stop in front of him, bracing her hands against her knees to catch her breath. "You… You brought that woman back to life, didn't you?" she asked. "How?"

"Hikaru!" The rapid scraping of footsteps approached fast behind her. "What's going?" Donald asked as he and Sora came up to her sides. One look at Hades, though, made him spring back in alarm. "Wak! Who're you?"

"Hades, God of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead, nice to meet you," the man replied. "Your little redheaded friend here was just inquiring about my services. Seems like something sparked her interest."

"He just… resurrected someone," Hikaru said, looking to Sora and Donald. "I saw it. Back at the inn. There was this kid, and his mom was… was dead, and…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "He brought her back to life."

"Whoa, really?" Sora asked, turning back to Hades, who loomed several feet taller than him. "You can do that?"

"Yep. Comes with the job territory—you know, Lord of the Dead and all that jazz," Hades said with a toothy smile. "And since you seem to be so curious, Gingersnap… Let me guess, you have a special request."

"I…" Hikaru hesitated. A special request…?

"Hold on!" Donald exclaimed. "You're not thinking about _that_, are you?"

"What? What is she thinking?" Sora asked.

Hikaru pursed her lips. "Donald," she said. "He brought someone back to life. If he can do that, then… Then maybe my father…"

"NO!" Donald crossed his arms in front of his chest. "No, no, absolutely not!"

"Wait…" Sora said slowly, his eyes widening. "Hikaru, do you mean… You think he can bring your dad back? Can you do that?" he asked Hades.

"Eh, well… _Technically_ I could, though I don't make a habit of doing it," Hades said, casually picking at his ear. "You know, kind of defeats the purpose of the Underworld if any old Jane and Joe comes back willy-nilly."

"Please," Hikaru said, taking a step forward. "If you can bring back my dad…"

"Hikaru, stop!" Donald seized her by the arm, pulling her back. "That's not the kind of magic you want to be messing with! No one just comes back from the dead for free!"

"You don't know that!" Hikaru snapped, prying her arm free and rounding on the duck. "He's a god, Donald! You don't know what he might be able to do!"

"I know that this is a bad idea!" Donald snapped back, jabbing Hikaru hard in her collarbone. "And _you_ should know that too!"

"Guys!" Sora said, shoving his arms between them as Hikaru smacked Donald's hand away. "Guys, calm down!"

"The shorty's right," Hades said. "Maybe you two need some time to cool down before making any big decisions."

"No!" Hikaru said, spinning around to face him and frantically shaking her head. "No, I…"

"She won't be making any decisions," Donald cut in, pushing Hikaru back. "Because _I'm_ making them for her. We don't need any resurrections—now, or ever!"

"Alright, alright, smooth down those feathers. No need to get antsy," Hades said. "I gotta get going anyway—restless dead and all that. But if you ever decide to change your mind, Gingersnap…" He held out a hand and snapped his fingers. In a burst of fire and smoke, a little paper business card appeared at his fingertips. "I'll leave you my card. Don't be a stranger."

Hikaru grabbed it before Donald could make a lunge for it. She didn't say anything though—didn't trust herself to speak. She just gave a curt nod of her head and stuffed the card into her pocket.

And with that, the God of the Dead vanished in a plume of smoke.

* * *

Goofy crept down the stairs as quietly as he could, keeping his steps light so that the only sound that came from his footsteps was the slightest creaking of the wooden floorboards. He didn't want to disturb any of the other people staying in the inn—but after all that hard work today, he was still feeling a little parched. With his glass in hand, he reached the bottom step, taking a look around the dining hall. Aside from Lyon who was busy mopping up some grime near the front door, the room was empty.

"Hiya, Lyon," Goofy said with a cheerful wave. "Do ya mind if I get some more water?"

"Oh, sure," Lyon said, pointing over to the bar where a silver jug sat, ready and waiting. "Help yourself."

A moment later came the voices.

"Why is it such a big deal?!" At first it was muffled, ringing out from the street. Then the door swung open, and Hikaru stomped into the inn, her face flushed a dark red and her eyes livid. "Why can't you just let him do this?"

Donald marched in after her, looking just an upset. Sora followed, the last to enter, and unlike the other two, he wasn't mad—just completely and utterly uncomfortable.

"Huh? Fellas, what's going…?" Goofy started to say.

"Because it's a stupid idea, that's why!" Donald shouted over him before he could even finish. "You can't understand it because you're just a dumb kid, but believe me, nothing good that can come out of something like _that_!"

"Donald, this is my dad we're talking about!" Hikaru said. "My father! If there's even a chance I can get him back…"

"It doesn't matter who it is! It's better for everyone when the dead stay _dead_!"

The silence was palpable. Sora's eyes widened, and Goofy lifted a hand over his mouth. Even Donald seemed to realize he'd said something he shouldn't have.

Hikaru glowered at him. "Easy for you to say!" She spun around, seizing an upside down chair off of the table and shoving it to the floor with a clatter. Then she bolted for the stairs.

"Hikaru, wait!" Donald called, raising a hand. But even when she stumbled over her boots, she kept running until she was out of sight. "… Oh…"

Lyon gave a low whistle. "Well, then," he said, propping his mop over his shoulder. "I'm just… gonna go see if Daphne needs more help in the back." He turned on his heels and hurried off, ducking through the kitchen doors.

"Oh, man…" Sora sighed, scratching his head. "I'll… go see if she's alright?"

"Maybe it'd be best to give her some space first," Goofy replied. Trying to talk to her now might end up doing more harm than good—he knew that much, at least.

"I didn't mean it like that," Donald said, his shoulders slumped as he looked up at Goofy.

"I know, Donald," Goofy said, patting his friend on the shoulder, even though he wasn't sure what was going on. And he was sure Hikaru would understand it too—once she calmed down some.

Even if he understood exactly where she was coming from.

* * *

"Okay, you know what? That was good. That was _very_ good. I've gotta hand it to myself, I did great."

"That was a genius plan indeed, Your Moroseness," Panic said, following Hades as they returned to the cave overlooking the city. He was still in the form of the human boy, thick blond hair, runny nose, and all.

"Does this dress make my butt look big?" Pain asked, glancing over his shoulder at his pudgy human body. He was still the shape of the resurrected mother, minus his sneering demon face. Panic looked at him, tapping his chin in contemplation.

"We're not finished yet, though!" Hades said. He turned to face his minions, making them jolt in alarm. With an audible pop, Pain and Panic returned to their imp forms, though Panic still had blond hair sprouting in the space between his horns. "Boys, I think we need to spruce up the place for our guests."

"But… Your Great Undeadship," Pain said hesitantly. "How do we know that they'll actually come?"

"Yeah, couldn't we have just offered to make a deal with them instead of going through all this… trouble?" Panic added.

"Believe me, those brats'll come," Hades said. "When you've been around the block as much as I have, you learn to read these things. You can see it in the eyes." He pointed to one of his venomous yellow eyes to demonstrate. "With these types, you have to ease into it, otherwise you'll scare them off. Make them come to you. And where one of those brats go, I guarantee… the others will come too."

And then they could finally get this Cloud Pain Train rolling.

* * *

It was late when Sora finally decided to head upstairs. Goofy and Donald had gone to bed before him, leaving him to wait around in the dining hall until he figured a decent enough amount of time had passed. Goofy had offered to let him stay in their room that night before going, but Sora declined.

"Good luck, Spiky," Lyon told him, glancing up from counting the shop's munny as Sora started up the stairs. Sora said nothing in response—just gave a weak smile and a quick nod.

At the top of the stairs, everything was dark and quiet. Sora headed to the room furthest down the hall, tapping his knuckles gently against the door. "Hikaru?" he whispered, pushing the door open just a crack. "Are you still up…?"

Silence answered him. In the low light that filtered through the room's lone window, he saw Hikaru's shape lying in her bed, her back facing the door.

_She's asleep_. Sora breathed a sigh of relief—one that he felt a little guilty about a moment later. Well, maybe some rest would do them all some good. It had been a long day, and they could talk tomorrow morning. He tip-toed over to the empty bed, slipping his shoes and socks off before sliding under the covers. The thin blanket itched at his skin, but as his head hit the pillow and his eyes slipped shut, he almost immediately felt himself beginning to dip down into the peaceful nothingness of sleep.

Until a sudden loud creak eventually roused him back to consciousness.

He didn't know how much time had passed—enough to feel groggy as he opened his eyes, at least. The room was still dark, and the window was still lit with the faint glow of the city outside. Sora made a noise in his throat, shifting in bed and rubbing his eyes as he took a tired, sweeping look around the room and tried to gather his bearings.

There was a sharp inhale, and he realized there was someone standing near the foot of his bed.

He gave a yelp, hand going out as a blinding flash lit up the room. The Keyblade dropped into his hand, and he aimed it at the shadowy figure, squinting as white lights blinked in his vision. But he lowered the weapon when he realized who the person was.

"Hikaru?" he asked, suddenly wide awake. "What're you…?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. He couldn't see her face in the dark, but he could hear the tightness to her voice.

Sora squinted again. Her silhouette looked rather bulky—was she carrying her bag? And that was her staff in her hand… "Are you going somewhere? Wait," he said, realization slowly dawning on him. "Are you going to see that Hades guy?"

"Shhh!" Hikaru scrambled forward, the floorboards creaking under her steps as she pressed her hand firmly against his mouth. "Sora, _please_, don't tell anyone."

Sora furrowed his brows. He tried to speak, but his words were muffled by her hand. He reached out, removing her hand from his mouth and taking a deep breath. "Why?" he asked, dropping his voice to a whisper. "You heard what Donald said. He thinks it's a bad idea."

"I know Donald doesn't like it," Hikaru said. "But he won't listen to me. I just… wanted to ask Hades some questions."

"So you're sneaking out?" Sora asked. "By yourself?"

"Well, I…"

"What if you ran into the Heartless?" he went on, crossing his arms and frowning. "Or that guy with the big sword? I thought we were on a journey together. Aren't we supposed to stick together?"

"We are," she said softly.

"So why are you trying to go off by yourself?" Sora asked, and this time he couldn't help the faintest hurt that crept into his words. Because the last time his friends had run off by themselves was the last time he'd seen them—and now here he was, traveling the worlds to find them, and the one person he still had left as a fleeting connection to life before his world was destroyed was getting ready to do it to him again.

"I just…" Hikaru started to say. She took a step back, moving away from Sora's bed and over to her own. Then she plopped down, sitting at the edge and releasing a heavy sigh. "I just don't know what to do…"

For a while, they just sat there in the dark, neither of them saying anything. Whatever hurt that Sora felt began to fade as the silence became too much. Slowly he brought his Keyblade forward, creating a tiny flame that illuminated the room and using it to light the candle on his bedside table.

"Doesn't mean you gotta go by yourself," he said. "We're friends, okay? We have each other's backs. And if this is important to you…" He paused. "I'll go with you."

Hikaru blinked. She looked at him, eyes going wide. "You… you will?"

"Yeah." Despite the weight lingering in his chest, he managed a smile. "Safer if we stick together, right?"

Hikaru laughed, though it was one choked back by the beginning of tears. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. "Thank you, Sora."

"No problem," he said, rising to his feet. "Now, let's go find a god."

* * *

A/N: Whew, what a roller coaster. This chapter posed a bit of a difficulty, though part of it was me probably not getting sound enough sleep lately. But I'm glad I got it done!

So we now know more about Hades' plans, and unfortunately for our naive heroes they're playing right into his hands. This is a plot point I've had in mind for a while now, ever since I realized that strange opportunities arise when we have a literal god of the dead, and I think it came out pretty alright despite the difficulties writing this chapter. Taking some risks with the world plot, I guess you can say, so I hope it pays off. I really wanted to end Olympus here, but it seems that this arc is going on for longer than I'd intended.

So, what d'you think? Let me know by sending in a review!

Big thanks to BlissfulNightRain, Painted With a Palette, Xxser3ndipityxX, and Lunar Abyss for your reviews last chapter! It's very much appreciated. :D And thanks especially to my beta Barrel Maker who listened to me panic about this chapter throughout this writing process.

See you next time!


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